The Wild Westfold

By: Lauthica Green Clinkenbeard

Chapter Thirty-four: The Great and Final Cataclysm

We stood proud…and nervous before the great gates. The soldiers filled into lines and ranks; smooth Gondorian steel mixed with the browns and reds of Rohhiric leather. Pippin adorned in his garb of the citadel guard sat in front of Gandalf on Shadowfax. Merry in his esquire of Rohan leather and mail sat behind Eomer on his horse. Eomer was just as focused as I and remained indifferent to my presence. Legolas and Gimli rode on their horse and Aragorn and I alone on ours. I gripped at the banner in my hand staring out onto the gap in the mountains that the gate spanned.

The gate itself was a sight to behold. It was made of metal and half-carved from the blackest of obsidian and shone like glass infused with thousands of crystals. It was sharp and rose up into the sky as high as the tallest of trees. On each end where the gate met with the mountain an even taller more menacing guard tower stretched upward like a sinister hand reaching for the stars themselves. We sat there prepared for battle for several minutes.

"Where are they?" Pippin whispered.

Aragorn looked back at him and then he kicked his horse gently and nudged it forward toward the gate. We followed closely behind stopped right at the crack of the gates.

"Let the lord of the black land come forth!" Aragorn yelled out up to the gate, "Let justice be done upon him!"

We all looked around nervously waiting for any kind of response. Finally…the gates came alive. The gears squealed and rumbled cutting so deep into the air that I felt my chest vibrate with the noise. The gate opened, but just barely. My eyes lowered from its height back down to the opening crack. A tall man astride a massive, armored black horse trotted out slowly to meet with us. This was not Sauron himself and calling this creature a man…was a vague assumption.

He wore all black and his collar stuck up around his head. His face was entirely covered by a rusty and spiked helmet with only his mouth was visible exposing decayed, white, and rotted flesh.

"My master, Sauron the Great, bids thee welcome," he said. His mouth was huge, so huge in fact that the skin around his long, pointed, brown teeth was broken and stretched with every word he spoke. He looked as if he was trying to smile but his teeth were so askewed his lipless mouth formed only a circle. Aragorn raised an eyebrow toward him. The creature moved his head around as if he was looking at us but had no eyes.

"Is there any in this rout with authority to treat with me?" he asked.

"We do not come to treat with Sauron…" Gandalf said sternly. The creature-man looked over at him as he continued, "…faithless and accursed." At Gandalf's words the creature snarled.

"Tell your Master this: The armies of Mordor must disband. He is to depart these lands, never to return." Gandalf said. The creature chuckled, or at least sounded like a chuckle.

"Uh ha! Old Greybeard," he said smiling again, "Oh! I have a token I was bidden to show thee." He said as he pulled some kind of small, white chain mail skirt from his saddle. It was a lovely shirt but I had no idea what it meant. Whatever it was….it was working.

Gandalf's expression changed immediately as if his heart sunk down to his toes. Even Gimli gasped.

"Frodo…" Pippin whispered.

The creature growled tossing the shirt to Gandalf. Gandalf caught it in his hands and stared at it in disbelief.

"Frodo!" Pippin said again growing worried.

"Ahhhh…" the creature said opening his great and disgusting mouth.

"Silence!" Gandalf commanded down to Pippin.

"No!" Merry said with despair in his voice.

"Silence!" Gandalf commanded again. The creatures looked around with his jerking head at every noise and expression everyone was making.

"The Halfling was dear to thee, I see," he said. "Know that he suffered greatly at the hands of his host." He said jerking his head around to look at us again. Gimli scowled and nudged Legolas. The creature continued, "Who would've thought one so small could endure so much pain."

Gandalf let the shirt slip from his fingers and Pippin took hold of it. Pippin looked down to the shirt and looked up at the creature-man near tears.

"And he did, Gandalf. He did." The creature continued. Gandalf looked up at him with glossy eyes as well. The creature seemed to take pleasure in everyone's emotions. "Ahhhh…" he half-said half-growled. Aragorn bid his horse forward toward the creature.

"And who is this? Isildur's heir?" the creature asked. Aragorn circled around him as he continued on, "It takes more to make a king than a broken Elvish blade." He said.

"URGHA!" Aragorn cried out as he pulled Anduril from its sheath and in one swift motion chopped off the creature's head. Everyone looked to Aragorn in shock. Gimli sighed.

"I guess that concludes negotiations." He said.

Aragorn turned his horse back around to face us, "I do not believe it!" he said, "I will not."

The gate rumbled again. Aragorn turned back around as the gates began to open fully revealing the massive, dark army of Mordor advancing upon us.

"Pull back," Aragorn said as he turned his horse back around, "Pull back!" he commanded as we all hurried to rejoin the flanks of our army. The more the gates opened the more we saw of the dark army…and then I saw it. The great flaming eye. A beam of light poured from it like a ray of the sun. The dark army chanted and pounded on drums as they marched toward us. Our army grew restless and nervous taking steps back away from the gates.

"Hold your ground!" Aragorn yelled out. "Hold your ground!" he commanded as he rode his horse down the line. "Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers!" The men gathered toward him as he continued on. "I see in your eyes…the same fear that would take the heart of me." He said as he reared his horse and moved back down the other side of the line. "A day may come," he continued on, "when the courage of Men fails, when we forsake our friends, and break bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the age of Men comes crashing down. But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all the you hold dear on this good earth I bid you stand! Men of the West!" he cried out raising his sword high into the air. The soldiers filed suit and drew their own blades. Aragorn's horse reared up as he turned to face down the dark army.

Even I felt the warrior's fire spring to life within my blood at Aragorn's words. I tossed down the banner and drew my rainbow steel blade. Today the colors would blacken with orcs blood!

The dark army had completely surrounded around us on all sides. We had dismounted and stood firm at the front of the vanguard staring into the abyss of our fates. Pippin drew his little blade standing next to Merry. Merry looked around at the orcs breathing heavily preparing himself for what was to come. Eomer glared at the enemy as the blood lust sparked within his eyes. Legolas and Gimli stood by each other just a few feet down from Aragorn, the hobbits, and I.

"Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an Elf." Gimli said as he looked around at the dark army.

"What about side by side with a friend?" Legolas asked looking down at Gimli with a smile. Gimli looked up to him and smiled back.

"Aye…I could do that." He said.

The Eye was now fully upon us. The pupil focused on Aragorn. A great roar spread through the air along with the same dark whispers I had heard come from the Palantír.

"Aragorn…."

It was as if the voice pulled at him. Aragorn stared blankly at the Eye and stepped forward. I panicked. Was this some sort of spell? No! Aragorn lowered his sword

"Elessar….."

Aragorn turned back toward us from the Eye and stared at each and every one of us. Gandalf, Eomer, Gimli, Legolas, the hobbits, and myself.

"For Frodo…" he whispered and then he turned back to the army and charged.

"AHHHHHHH!" Merry and Pippin cried out following after him first. The rest of us followed with a strong battle cry. Though the hobbits were the first to follow we taller folk soon passed them by. I felt like a raging bull, horns down, sprinting into the fray of good and evil.

Legolas began firing arrows into the midst of the dark army. Aragorn swatted away an outstretched pike and swung Anduril proudly. I stared straight into the eyes of an orc as I closed the distance between myself and him.

"URGHAHHHH!" I yelled as I whipped my deadly curved blade through the air. I took off the orc's head in one clean swipe, followed by another orc's arm, and then ducked down avoiding a rusty axe and sliced through another's legs. Seconds passed…minutes…my blade was covered in black blood. It splattered on my face and armor. I moved swiftly through the ranks of the dark army…and then it hit me.

My stomach flipped and brought me down to my knees. I kept a firm grip on my sword but my other hand went up to my mouth to try and stop my impending wretch. I shut my eyes and tried my best to keep it from coming up. It did not help. The vomit spewed from my mouth as my head started to spin. A dead orc fell to my right. A dead Gondorian fell to my left. I had to get away from the action. My world started to spin as I crawled through the carnage around me. I had to stop to wretch again.

"RROOOOAARRRR!"

I looked up. An orc that had no nose was charging right at me. Gandalf's words echoed in my head. 'If an orc chooses to kill you what then?' I did my best to rise to my feet and hurried away from the nose-less orc. A had to dodge a couple of hail mary swings and thought I was safe. My stomach was starting to settle and my head had stopped spinning. I lifted my blade into the air ready to bring it down on the head of an orc nearby with no helmet when my thighs suddenly felt like they were on fire.

I screamed out loud as my legs gave way underneath me and I tumbled to the ground. I looked up to see the nose-less orc ready to swing at me again but I quickly pulled out my dagger and stabbed him. He screamed and dropped his blade. I swung at him with my sword and slashed him across the gut. He roared as his intestines spilled out and he fell backward writhing in pain, dying. I scooted away from him and looked down at my legs.

The chainmail skirt had caught most of the blow but where the skirt ended the orcs blade sliced me near to the bone from the top of my knee to the start of my armor shanks. I tried to put weight on the leg it was beyond unbearable. Blood poured from the wound and I felt myself grow dizzy again.

My thoughts were slowing and I looked around for my companions. Aragorn was about ten feet away still swinging and fighting fiercely. Eomer was bashing orcs with his shield. Gimli was heaving his axe through the air as Legolas went back and forth shooting arrows and using his duel blades. I saw a small circle of felled orcs and Men where the fighting was thin and hurried to drag myself over to it.

My leg throbbed and my head pounded as the nausea returned to my stomach. I collapsed onto a pile of bodies and tried to blend in hoping to be passed over. I closed my eyes to rest for a moment before groaning and turned over. My leg was still throbbing. I looked down as the blood was still flowing fast. It should have clotted by now. Something was wrong, but I getting weaker by the minute. I sheathed my sword and used my hands to apply as much pressure as I could but I couldn't cover the entire wound. It was too long.

"Deya?" a voice called out from nearby. I looked up to see a man in a suit of armor fighting his way over to me. As he broke from the orcs I saw the black panther armor. It was Don Vonce followed closely by Rembaulk. He rushed over and knelt down taking off his helmet. He moved my hands away from the wound and looked it over.

"Rembaulk, cover us. If any orcs try to come near take them out but don't draw too much attention." He said as he reached up and unbuckled the strap of his shoulder guard. He pulled out a bit of his fluttering under-sleeve and ripped it off. My jaw fell open. He reached out for a spear lying nearby and broke it over his knee. He made a make-shift split and then wrapped the wound as tightly as he could with his torn, silk sleeve. When he was done he stood up and put his helmet back on. As he was about to run back into the battle I stopped him.

"Don Vonce!" I called out.

"What, Woman?! Can't you see I'm a little busy at the moment?!" he yelled back.

"But…why?" I asked.

"I hate you too much to let you die. My life would be far too boring!" he said as he ran back into the midst of the action.

I laid back and rest. Already my leg felt better and my strength was returning. I was safe…until I heard the high pitched screech. I opened my eyes and stared in terror at the sky as the Nazgul, mounted on their flying beasts, began to descend from the sky. One was coming down right above me it talons outstretched and its mouth dripping in hunger. I screamed and rolled over back into the fray. The splint allowed for me to bear weight on the leg and I redrew my sword limping back into battle. I mostly stabbed and avoided to close of conflict. Luckily no orc set his sights on me. I saw a blur of white. Gandalf! He could help me.

But he couldn't help me. He was fighting just as fiercely as the others and as another Nazgul screeched and bared down upon us there was nothing he could do. A moth fly by him and captured his attention. Suddenly, another screech rang through the air.

"Eagles…" Pippin said looking up smiling, "The Eagles are coming!" he yelled out. I looked up. A flock of the giant eagles of songs and legends came swooping in and attacked the Nazgul and their mounts. For several minutes it appeared that we had the upper hand of this fight…until another roar from the eye cracked like thunder through the sky. The beam of light moved away from us toward the fiery Mt. Doom. The Nazgul turned their beast away from the eagles and started to fly toward the mountain. Gandalf looked up from the fight in despair. I limped over to him. He noticed my leg and I noticed his fatigue. We leaned on each other.

"Thank you, Deya," he said.

"What's going on with the Eye?" I asked.

"He's put it on…" Gandalf whispered.

I was about to asked what he meant when I heard another terrible roar. I turned around quickly and lifted my blade but it was too late. A monstrous troll in armor swung his arm through the air at us. His arm missed Gandalf but hit me square in the chest.

CRACK!

I went flying to the side and landed on my back. I could barely breathe and when I rolled over I spat out a mouthful of blood. I laid down on my side and watched the horror unfold before me.

The troll turned toward Aragorn and engaged him. Aragorn fought valiantly….but he was just as tired as the rest of us. Legolas saw the troll and tried to break through the chaos to get to his aid but it was impossible. The orcs were as thick as fog now.

Aragorn had landed on his front and he turned around hearing the heavy footsteps of the troll coming after him again.

"ARAGORN!" Legolas yelled out as he tried to sprint to his aid but kept getting blocked by orcs and other soldiers. Aragorn made it to his feet but as he tried to back away from the troll, the troll kicked him and pinned him down with its foot. Aragorn pulled out his dagger and stabbed it. The troll cried out but didn't budge, instead it lifted its huge, rusty blade into the air. Tears formed in my eyes, but not from the pain…Aragorn didn't stand a chance. I openly wept and screamed out in agony. I was near dying. Aragorn would soon be dead. Gandalf was spent…and I hadn't seen Eomer anywhere in the midst….this was the end….we lost…we failed.

The Great Eye gave out a terrible scream of its own. I opened my eyes and forced my body to push itself up to see. The flames of the Eye were flickering and it looked around wildly as if panicked. The troll did not bring his blade down upon Aragorn and looked back toward the dark tower. It lifted its foot and Aragorn rose to his feet quickly staring toward the dark tower. The troll fled from the battle as well as many of the orcs. Gandalf froze, staring in disbelief.

The dark sinister atmosphere above Mordor started to swirl around the Eye and the black tower began to fall into itself cracking like glass. A smile came to Gandalf's face and his eyes watered in happiness. It was done…the ring had been destroyed. Emotions flooded me as well and seemed to numb my pains. We won….WE WON!

As the black tower continued to fall the Eye fissiled until it was gone and a great shockwave blasted from it breaking up the shadowy clouds and spread to the gate. The very earth of Mordor cracked, shattered, and caved in. Tt reached all the way to the gap and swallowed up the gate and guard towers and fleeing orcs. It stopped just at the edge of our army.

"FRODO!" Merry cheered raising his sword into the air. "FRODO!"

I smiled and started to laugh but winced. That still hurt a little too much. Even Gimli was smiling and cheering. Everyone was smiling and crying. Gondorians and Rohhiric men were hugging each other.

…until Mt. Doom exploded from within itself. Lava shot up hundreds of feet into the air. Fire rained down from the mountain's top. Merry's smiled faded quickly as he jumped at the explosion. The soldiers were still cheering…but the fellowship's expression changed to worry and grief. A tear fell down Gandalf's cheek. Pippin fell to his knees.

"Frodo…." He wailed as he wept.

My strength was now gone. My arms gave out on me and I fell to the ground. I cried out in pain as my chest collided with the earth and another flood of blood poured from my mouth along with another wretch from nausea. My leg started throbbing again and my world became fuzzy. Gandalf whistled into the air. Three eagles came down to him and he leaped onto one of their backs and took off into the air. I closed my eyes. The pain was coming back to me full force. Breathing was difficult. My arms and legs were already limp.

"DEYA!" someone called out.

"Oh no…." another whispered.

"NO!"

"Bring water! Quick!"

I winced as I was rolled onto my back. Four shadows loomed over me but I could not focus on their faces. I couldn't even recognize their voices. They were slowed as if time was not passing at normal speed and they all sounded the same.

"Bring cloaks! Wrap her now!"

Several hands began to drape me in cloaks for warmth and padding and secured them with ties.

"She needs medical attention now"

"We have no carts for travel."

"I'll take her! I must save her!"

I felt two arms wrap under me and lift me.

"Take Shadowfax, he is the fastest horse."

"But I am not his master."

"He knows how pure your love and intentions are. For you, he will fly like the wind."

I was passed to someone else and then they handed me back to my original carrier. The carrier tied a rope around us and secured me to the horse. He took off in full gallop. The bumps and turns in the ride were unbearable. I screamed out as the pain ravished through my entire body and being.

"Hold on…"

I am trying…

"Please hold on…."

What is going on? I cannot speak….Who are you? Where is Eomer? Had he lived or did he fall? I…I…and then the darkness came…and the pain went away.