Chapter 38:
Eden's POV:
By dawn of the third day, I could see what was left of the sky scraping towers of Minas Tirith. If we just galloped over the crest of this hill, we'd be there. Theoden nodded to a couple of soldiers behind us and the war horns were sounded, announcing our arrival.
We galloped over the crest of the hill and Theoden pulled up to a halt. The rest of the Rohirrim pulled up behind him. I don't think I've ever seen so many Orcs in my entire life, not even Helm's Deep had this many. It looked like there were black holes in the valley before Minas Tirith.
Minas Tirith itself was in flames and the anguished screams of its people could be heard, as more walls and stone crumbled. Smoke rose to the heavens, polluting the air and the drums of the Orcs were louder than ever. The White city had turned black with smoke and soot.
I felt white-hot rage race from my heart through my veins and I slowly withdrew my sword from its place behind my leg. Glory snorted and tossed his head, whinnying with a few of the other horses. "May the Orcs pillage and burn." I muttered between clenched teeth. The familiar euphoria of Slayer adrenaline took place of any fear or hesitation that had once consumed my heart. Innocent people were being murdered and the slayer within me was furious.
Eomer and I trotted a few steps forward ahead of the lines, as did Gamling and Grimbold. Theoden eyed the Orcs, before turning and galloping in front of the legion of Rohan.
"Eomer, take you eored down the left flank." Theoden shouted as he passed us.
"Flank ready!" Eomer called, looking to me. "Stay with me."
"I will." I nodded, as Glory pranced beneath me.
"Gamling, follow the King's banner down the center." Theoden ordered, continuing to gallop along the legion. "Grimbold, take your company right after you pass the wall. Forth! And fear no darkness." Theoden looped around Grimbold, before the Captain cantered to the right side of the legion.
Theoden galloped back to address the rest of the soldiers. "Arise! Arise, riders of Theoden. Spears shall be shaken. Shields shall be splintered, a sword-day, a red day!" He shouted. "Ere the sun rises!"
The soldier's spears lowered into battled position. The horses began to prance anxiously and the men took their deep breath before the plunge. Theoden began to gallop along the legion again, his sword gently clanging against the many spears. "Ride now!" He bellowed. "Ride! Ride for ruin and the world's ending!" He halted towards the end of the line and pointed his sword towards the Orcs. "Death!"
"Death!" The soldiers cried, echoing their King's shout. I took a deep breath and readjusted my grip on my sword.
"Death!" Theoden cried again and once again it was repeated. "Death!" He roared one final time.
"Death!" I shouted, along with Eomer and the rest of the soldier's this cry louder and braver than the previous two.
Theoden circled his horse tightly, sword held high, before he pointed it once again at the Orcs. "Forth Eorlingas!" He commanded.
The war horns blew one last time, as we began to move forward, starting at a walk, extending into a trot, picking up a canter, then finally into a charging gallop. There was no fear this time, determination and courage were all the emotion the men of Rohan were feeling.
We galloped straight for them, just as the Orc's archers began to fire. Arrows whistled through the air, some unfortunately fatally hitting the soldiers, but it did not deter our speed, as we just kept gaining more and more momentum. "Charge!" Theoden yell echoed over the pounding of hooves.
"Like with the Nazgul, Glory, noro lim!" I called to my horse. Glory dug deep to the speed we used when first saving Faramir, practically throwing himself across the ground. "Death!" I shouted one last time.
"Argh!" Eomer's horse appeared by our flank, as did the rest of the Rohan riders. Glory wasn't the only horse with speed to spare.
The Orcs began to back up as we advanced, until we ran into them, trampling some, stabbing and beheading others. I swung my broadsword in lethal strokes, taking our any Orcs within range as Glory galloped through their masses, Eomer keeping stride with us the entire time.
We let out war cries, as we made major dents in the Orc's lines, continuing to run into them, crushing and manually slaughtering the vicious, disgusting pigs. The King's banner of Rohan flew high as we decimated the Orc's numbers.
The Orcs made loud screeches and hisses as we killed them, leaving their bodies to be flattened by the many hooves of the Eorlingas. Black, thick Orc blood stained the blade of my sword, as I continued to slay any Orc within my arm's range and those that were close, but I could not reach, Eomer took care of.
We fought with vivacity, stabbing and slicing the Orcs by so many, that we had them fleeing for their lives. "Drive them to the river!" Eomer called, as we gave chase.
"Make safe the city!" Theoden shouted, but the sight before us had us pulling up short.
I had thought I'd seen it all after the human-like trees, but even Middle-Earth had their forms of Elephants. Nineteen of them were approaching Minas Tirith from the mountains. All with packed with men on their backs. An exotic war horn could be heard and the brief feeling of victory vanished and foreboding took its place, as the elephants began to pick up speed, preparing to charge.
"Re-form the line!" Theoden ordered, as we stared at them in horror. "Re-form the line!"
We did as we were told and I retook my spot beside Eomer. "I don't like this." I eyed the near running elephants. "Oh I don't like this at all." The elephants began to roar.
"Sound the charge! Take them head on!" Theoden commanded and Gamling took up his horn and blew long and loud. "Charge!"
The horses reared up and then down into a hard gallop. "Aim for their necks and undersides. It's where they'll be weakest!" I advised in a loud shout. Glory pinned his ears and lengthened his stride, ready for a battle.
The elephants swung their heads as we reached them, knocking many horses and riders into the air and flying over our heads. I screamed, ducking down over Glory's withers, watching them fall in dismay.
The soldiers whipped out their arrows and began to shoot the elephants and the men on their backs. "The necks and undersides!" I called again. "The necks and undersides!"
Arrows flew from the elephant's backs and a soldier galloping beside me fell. I dug for my crossbow, but could not seem to find it. I must have lost it in Helm's Deep. Daggers would have to do. I only had three left better make them count.
I grasped one firmly in my hand and steered Glory hard to the left. I just managed to dodge the arrows pelting in my direction and headed straight for one of the elephants. I turned Glory, so we were galloping just alongside its shoulder. I readied my aim for its jugular and threw the dagger with all my might.
Slayer aim did not fail me, as the dagger imbedded itself in the elephant's neck and blood began to pour from the wound. The elephant let out an agonized roar as I steered Glory away. It fell hard to its knees then dropped heavily on its side, dead.
I let out a war whoop and looked ahead to see Eomer turn and pulled his horse up, right in the path of a rampaging elephant. "Eomer!" I cried, urging Glory to reach him quickly.
Eomer threw his spear and it impaled the leader of the elephant, causing him to fall off, but he was still tied to the elephant's head. The momentum of his body yanked the elephant's head right and caused it to turn and run right into another elephant. Two for the price of one.
"Nice." I commented, pulling up beside him.
"You too." He gestured to my own fallen elephant. "Bring them down?"
"On it." I steered Glory away from him and back towards the elephants, dodging more arrows being fired from the men on their backs.
"Aim for their heads!" Eomer order, shooting one of them in the head. The soldiers rallied together and continued to shoot at one of them.
I turned for another and aimed another shot for the jugular, taking down another elephant. Only one dagger left. I looked over my shoulder to see the elephant the soldiers were shooting at, rear up and fall backwards, finally dead. Another hit the ground farther away from it.
"Come on." I hissed to Glory, who pinned his ears in response and galloped towards a third elephant. I withdrew my final dagger and aimed for the kill. We just needed to get a little closer. "AHH!" I threw it with all the force left in my body, watching it slice through the soft skin of the elephant's neck and it fall just like the others.
I pulled Glory left again; turning so we were heading back towards Eomer and Theoden. "Yes!" Just as we were getting closer to Theoden, an Orc seemed to come flying out of nowhere, knocking me right out of the saddle.
We tumbled roughly into the ground and I could vaguely hear Glory's frantic whinny as we came to a jerky halt. The Orc hissed and dove at me with his sword poised to kill. I ducked out of the way just in time, but the blade managed to make a laceration in my shoulder.
"Umph." I kicked out, catching him in the thigh, rolling backwards onto my feet.
It was clutching its thigh in pain and looked up just as I aimed a perfectly timed roundhouse kick for his head. My boot connected with the side of his face with what felt like a good shot. His neck snapped with the forced of the kick and he dropped dead to the ground.
I didn't have time to relish in the thrill of my slaughter, before another assaulted me. I sidestepped a looming blow and countered with a swift punch, before decapitating it with my broadsword. Three more seemed to appear out of thin air and I found myself wrapped in a struggle of hand-to-hand and sword-to-sword.
About half of the elephants were taken down, but there were still more on the rampage, trampling the soldiers, knocking them and their horses into the air, only to fall to their deaths or worse impaling the horses and soldiers on the spikes attached to their tusks. Rohan's momentum was fading and fading rapidly.
Of course, King Theoden wouldn't let us go down without a fight. "Rally to me! To me!" He cried, circling his mount in a tight circle.
I turned to where he stood, when that upsetting screech reached my ears. It was enough to make the blood freeze in my veins. The Nazgul beast and the Witch-king were soaring through the air, headed straight for Theoden and his horse.
"Look out!" I screamed, but it was no use. The winged dragon was upon Theoden within seconds. I could only watch in slow motion horror as its jaws closed around the King and his horse, lifting them into the hair and circling its head swiftly, releasing its prey, sending it flying through the air, landing in a sickening thud.
A/N: I hate this part, its so unfair. Theoden was a good King, a rightful king. Why couldn't the Witch-king have killed Denethor instead? Well, review for your next update.