Stepping into the line of fire
Chapter 46
John and Bobby had gone on ahead to create the circle of crystal amber stones that would trap Ugoliant and send him back to Middle Earth or fiery hell. Balrogs were at least twelve feet tall and the circle needed to be large enough to accommodate the bait (Dean) and Ugoliant. The stones were very carefully placed so that they would be equidistant from each other. Bobby had drawn the perfect circle. He had years of practice. John was pleased and they made there way back to the beginning of the pathway. Dean, Sam and Angela were waiting. Fired up and ready for action. John called a briefing. The hunters sat in a circle by the fire and waited for their commanding officer to speak.
"Right. We're all set!... Dean your role is to bring Ugoliant to the circle. We'll go into the cave and tempt him out. The holy water is close to our palentiri trap. We've got all eventualities covered but there's always a chance he won't play ball. Dean's got Nasil. Sam you watch Dean's back. Bobby and I will cover everyone. Angela you stay out of the way of any action but you carry the first aid…you've got the most important role gal' he added for good measure. Angela recognised his attempt at making her feel included but did not respond. John continued… "I'll smear ya're blood on all our hands and faces because that will repel him".
The hunters nodded gravelly. John then proceeded to drop some of the blood from the vial into all their hands so they could do as instructed. All at once the troop looked like dangerous savages in John's eyes. He was proud of every single one of them. He smiled at his comrades in arm and told them in no uncertain terms to follow orders and get the job done. At precisely 13 hundred hours they were off.
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John led the way into the cave. It was forbidding looking but they had the fortitude to go ahead. On and on they marched. The cave seemed to go on forever. They all noticed charring on its walls and a chill went up all their spines. Then it all happened so quickly that the hunters were slightly taken unaware but they had been so well trained that they sprang into action.
Ugoliant stood in front of them in all his fiery middle earth splendour and sounded a low deep growl. Dean lunged forward and pierced Nasil into his scaly chest. Ugoliant screamed in agony and went for Dean. Dean ran off and the balrog followed incandescent with rage. The other hunters followed the balrog and the bait, running as fast as their legs would carry them. Dean was so quick.
Then John's first born saw the circle gleaming in the distance. The stones had taken on a luminous quality as if inviting them in. Dean jumped in the circle and waited. He did not have to wait long because all of a sudden, a very angry Ugoliant jumped in too.
It seemed almost weird that it was all going so well to plan. Dean grabbed hold of his trustee sword and jabbed at the balrog. He got him twice in the leg and felt invincible. All at once Sam was beginning to chant the incantation he had learnt by heart in a steady and powerful voice. Bobby and John stood there watching the action unfold before their very eyes. Angela could not breathe. She was petrified.
Ugoliant found a second wind and was trying to burn Dean by sending fiery blasts of fire into his direction. The fire was repelled by the blood though and Dean looked unhurt. The incantations were starting to affect the balrog. He had curled into himself and seemed in pain. Then, finding a window he blew a huge cloud of fire in dean's direction. The hunter rolled to the side just in time as he heard his sweetie scream. Dean had now left the circle. Ugoliant could not. He was trapped in just like John and Bobby had said he would be. Sam was continuing his chant. Ugoliant was beginning to writhe in agony. The hunters then noticed something very odd. The palentiri stones had started to glow again. A deeper amber colour. Ugoliant looked up towards the sky and all of a sudden he was gone. Like he had never existed. The troop watched in total awe. They were sure that he had managed to get back to his earth. His time.
Dean was the first to jump up with unabashed joy and punch the air with his fist. He was quickly joined in the celebrations by the rest of the hunters. It was time to celebrate. Nobody had got hurt and everything had worked so efficiently that it had almost shocked John. After all the shenanigans, this hunt had been the most satisfying and the easiest he had ever undertaken. It was all in the planning he deduced and gave himself an invisible pat on the back. Tonight, there would be magic in the air! Tonight, they would have a feast. He had never in his wildest dreams thought that the outcome would be so amazingly positive. He was so proud of his troop that he felt he could burst. In their small way they had saved the world.
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The joyful troop made their way back to base. Their joy was so overwhelming that the walk back seemed easy. Four hours later they were back in the clearing. John had dragged the cart like a man possessed. Bobby had switched with him an hour into the journey because he knew that John would suffer in the morning. John had accepted his comrade's help without question. They almost were singing as they marched. The mood was buoyant!
Dean announced that he and Angela would cook the rabbits that he had killed a few nights ago and put in storage. Angela opened her bag of herbs and declared that it would be well seasoned. John and Bobby sat down on their mutual allocated logs and poured themselves two fingers of Jack. Sam helped gather the potatoes, carrots and beans that would accompany those tasty rabbits. It was pure unadulterated teamwork. John stood up and hugged Sam.
"Ya' did good son. I'm proud of ya'"
Sam beamed.
He then made his way to Dean and Angela and gave them both a finger of jack. "You did good too".
Dean and John hugged. John smiled at Angela and she smiled back. The smell of roasting rabbit was making them all crazy with hunger. The herbs were weaving their magic spell and the whiskey flowed like holy water at a Christian festival! Tonight, would be just perfect. They all deserved a celebration.
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