Chapter 32: Land of Shadows, journey through Mordor
Frodo Baggins, Lilly, Clementine, Duck, Samwise Gamgee, Ben, and Travis finally reached the land of Mordor, after crossing the precariously treacherous pass of Cirith Ungol and all it's terrors. The travelers slid down towards the bottom of the hill in the Orc armor and helmets that they confiscated from the tower, hearing the sounding horns and the beating of their drums, as they saw… that every Orc between them and Mt. Doom was deserting the ashy, smoky plateau.
"Look, the Orcs, they're moving off!" cried Sam in relief, seeing the Orcs marching off towards the Black Gate, "you see Mr. Frodo… some luck at last."
"I doubt it was just luck, Sam," interjected Ben, "knowing the Orcs, they wouldn't be deserting their territory, not if it wasn't really important."
"Well, there's definitely no mistake in that," replied Sam, "but why would the Orcs move off so suddenly?"
"…I think I know," interjected Lilly, "…It's Lee and my dad… I know it is."
"It is Lee," interjected Clementine.
"And there's my mom and dad," interjected Duck.
Frodo, Ben, Travis, and Sam looked at her, Clementine, and Duck, a little surprised at their suppositions…
"…He's here," added Lilly, with tears in her eyes, "I don't know how, but I believe that Lee and my dad made it here. Lee's with us in Mordor… I can feel it."
Frodo, though still sagged by the ring's weight… felt the same as Lilly, as he could also feel that Aragorn, Lee, and the others have arrived, finding a safer road as he hoped they would…
"Move it, you slugs!" the company suddenly heard harsh voices from a distance, as they turned to the side…
And saw a twinkle of torches, along with the noise of marching feet, coming from less than a mile away. It was a battalion of Orcs heading fast towards them.
"Come on, faster!" the voice of the Orc whipmaster shouted amongst the ranks.
"Oh no, they'll see us!" gasped Kaoru despairingly as the others looked wildly around, trying to find a place to hide.
"Oh no, what are we gonna do!" gasped Clementine.
"HIDE!" cried Duck.
"Quick, against the wall!" said Sam suggestively as everyone rushed off of the path to sit into a small dark pit of gloom, under the shadow of the cliff, hoping not to be seen.
Travis then spoke, "Ben and I don't get it, you guys. We're also wearing Uruk Hai armor, maybe we could tell them we have orders to stay in Mordor, or something."
"Think about it, you dummies," chided Lilly, "you said so yourself that the Orcs were leaving for something important, and its probably for a battle. If they see us, they'll definitely drag us along, no matter what we say."
"Shh! Quiet you three," hushed Sam to Ben, Travis, and Lilly.
The marching Orcs were massing even closer to where the disguised travelers were, going at a great pace, their red flames growing in the dark.
"Come along now, you scum!" growled the Whipmaster, cracking his whip at the troops, "I'll whip you down to the bone, you!"
Fearing the cruel voice of the Whipmaster and the sound of his whip… Sam held his hand up to his face and bowed his head, hoping that his face would be hidden from the troops that were now passing them…
"Come on!" yelled the Whipmaster, continuously, "what have I told you? FORMATION! Stay in formation! Now move it!"
The Whipmaster himself then appeared directly in front of the companions. But the Orc quickly turned his head to the side, spotting Frodo and the others huddled up together, wearing the Orc armor, thinking they were deserters.
"GET UP!" the Orc roared at the travelers, lashing his whip at them, "come on, you slugs! You lot, are going straight to the front line!"
Lilly, Clementine, Duck, Frodo, Sam, Ben, and Travis stood up attentively, being unintentionally drafted for war, preparing to march with the Orc legions.
"Move it! Go on, all of you, fall in!" ordered the Whipmaster, shoving the travelers into the line, "move it, move it, move it!"
As the travelers began marching with the line, they noticed that the Orcs were loping along, holding their heads down. They were a gang of the smaller breeds, unwillingly driven to the war. All they cared about was getting the March overwith and escape the terrible crack of the whip. Ben and Travis could relate to that, as he was now one of the unwilling members of the marching army. And Lilly especially disliked marching into battle, as she remembered how her father was drafted for the Wars in Georgia, and never returned.
The march became a nightmare for Frodo. The stench of the sweaty Orcs was stifling for him, and he began to gasp with thirst. Sam became fearful as the march was wearing him down, as well as his other friends. There was no hope of falling out unseen. If either of them should faint from all the marching, all would be discovered, and their bitter efforts shall be in vain.
"To the gate, you slugs, now move it!" the Whipmaster reiterated his commands, continuing to beat the Orcs with his whip.
On, the Orcs went, like black fire ants with lit torches, passing over the Black land. The line in which the travelers were marching in began to converge with several other lines from the South and from Barad-dûr, driven by Uruk-Hai whipmasters, that were massing ever closer to the Black Gate of Mordor.
"Faster!" the Whipmaster of the travelers' line kept barking his instructions, "don't you know we're at WAR!"
'Oh great,' thought Ben impatiently, as he turned his head to the direction of Mt. Doom, 'while we're going to war, they're moving us away from Mt. Doom!
We've got to get out of this somehow." said Travis.
As the Orcs continued heading North… Aragorn, Lee, and all the other companies of the west advanced further to Mordor. The march was not as harsh as the marching lines of Mordor. Everybody went at a decent pace enough for the soldiers so none of them would be tired when the time came to fight…
The drums of the Orcs beat endlessly as the lines drew near to the entrance of Udûn, across a rocky landscape, where tents were surrounded all over. The travelers were moving a great deal away from Mt. Doom. At this rate… the Ring would be caught in the conflict that will take place at the Black Gate.
"Company… halt!" the Orc Whipmaster commanded, cracking his whip a few times on the ground.
VROOOOOOMMMM! A horn sounded as the Orcs reached a stopping point in their march.
The Whipmaster turned ahead sounding off, "inspection!"
"Sam, help me," said Frodo in a small voice, as he was finally giving out, ready to collapse.
"Mr. Frodo!" gasped Sam as he caught Frodo.
Lilly, Clementine, Duck, Ben, and Travis were right next to the Hobbits, seeing Frodo falling so suddenly… as the Orc inspector, with a bludgeoned nose, walked among the ranks, observing the fitness and discipline of the troops, making each effort to stand them up with the correct posture. The travelers knew that the Inspector would be upon them soon, and they had to get Frodo to stand…
"Stand up, Mr. Frodo," Sam said urgently, "stand up!"
"You have to stand, Frodo," Clementine mentioned seriously, "we're being inspected or something."
"None of us likes to be here Frodo," added Travis, "but you've got to hold out just a bit longer."
"Its so heavy," said Frodo wearily.
Sam, Ben, Travis, Duck, Clementine, and Lilly then looked underneath Frodo's helmet… to see that the chain was reddening his neck. The others knew, without a doubt that the ring was acting up again.
The Orc inspector continued his inspections… then stopped all of a sudden, as he turned his head in the direction of the disguised travelers…
"Oh no," gasped Sam in dismay that the no-nosed inspector had already noticed them.
OOIINNNK! The Inspector bellowed loudly like a hog, starting to move up toward the travelers.
"What do we do?" Sam asked frantically, hastily turning his head, in all directions, "what do we do?"
Time was running out for them, as the Orc inspector continued shoving his way through the line of crowds to get to the travelers…
"Hit me," suggested Frodo.
"What?" asked Sam in confusion.
"Hit me, Sam," Frodo desperately repeated to the others, "everyone, start fighting."
"Get off of me!" yelled Sam, punching Frodo to the ground, playing along, "nobody pushes me, you filthy maggot!"
As Frodo was punched… Ben and Travis lightly bumped into Lilly, Clementine, and Duck. Lilly, Clementine, Duck, Ben, and Travis, remembering the suggestion, nodded in understanding.
"Hey was that for," cried Clementine.
"Why did you bumped into me, Clementine, and Lilly for," cried Duck.
Lilly then pushed Ben and Travis, shouting, "hey watch where you two standing! You both don't get to bump into me, Clementine, and Duck like that!"
"What are you talking about?" Travis pushed back, "they bumped into us first, ugly!"
"What was that!" Lilly retaliated as she, Clementine, Duck, Ben, and Travis began grappling one at another, then tumbled to the ground.
The Orcs gathered round the fighting travelers, enjoying the little play skirmish, while raising their blades in a cheering salute. The no-nosed inspector grimaced, continuing to push himself among the troops, to see what was happening… as Frodo punched away Sam, who then rushed back at Frodo, continuing the conflict.
"Get off of me!" Sam cried out, grappling at Frodo.
Grappling and punching at one another, Lilly, Clementine, Duck, Ben, and Travis exchanged very mean words, just to keep up the appearance of their scuffle.
"I'm gonna knife you, ya stinking Morgul rat!" snarled Lilly.
"I'm gonna blade you, ya ugly!" snarled Clementine.
"I'm gonna cut you, ya maggots!" snarled Duck.
"Travis and I are sure like to see you three try!" Ben shot back.
"Break it up! Break it up!" the Orc whipmaster came in, starting to lash his whip at the travelers urging them to stop their fights.
"Oi!" the Inspector hollered, calling the whipmaster's attention away from the travelers, demanding, "I'll have your guts, if you don't shut this rabble down!"
"Go Sam, now!" Frodo called to Sam.
"Come on, come on," Sam waved a beckoning hand at Lilly, Clementine, Duck, Ben, and Travis, as he dragged Frodo with him.
"Let's go, Lilly! Clementine! Duck," Travis called silently to Lilly, Clementine, and Duck, as all of them began to scuttle quickly along the ground, crawling away out of the line unnoticed, while it was still in disarray.
The Orc inspector stepped into the circle where the fight occurred, seeing that nobody was around… while the travelers safely entered into a tent nearby.
"Agh, move along scum!" ordered the Inspector, disregarding what happened earlier.
"BACK IN THE LINE!" shouted the Whipmaster, while cracking his whip, getting the Orcs back in their positions, "you maggots! Get back into the line you slugs! Dig it, you slugs! Move it, come on…!"
The horn sounded again as the battalion resumed their march. Lilly, Clementine, Duck, Sam, Frodo, Ben, and Travis left the tent through the back, running as far away from the Orcs and their slave drivers as they possibly could, scavenging across the cragged landscape to resume their quest.
With several days passed after the company marched out from Minas Tirith to Mordor's Black Gates… Éowyn, lady of Rohan stood alone in the gardens, with a hopeless expression on her face. Faramir came in, spotting the woman of Rohan, walking up slowly to her.
"The city has fallen silent," lamented Éowyn, with a bittersweet smile, "…there is no warmth left in the sun. It grows so cold."
Faramir stood next to Éowyn and said assuredly, "its just the damp of the first spring rain."
Éowyn then turned to Faramir, as her eyes showed her doubts clearly to him, to which Faramir returned with his gaze of understanding, as well as hope.
"I do not believe this darkness will endure," Faramir faithfully told Éowyn.
"…Most of my life has been in darkness," Éowyn returned, full of sorrow, "I looked for death in battle for so long."
"Death in battle may come to us all yet, willingly or unwillingly," stated Faramir kindly, "in the meantime, you and I must endure with patience the hours of waiting."
Éowyn nodded, understanding their situation. She was the most worried about whether her closest friends among the army that have marched out days ago will ever return. With that in mind, she turned back to face the east, to the mountainous borders of Mordor.
"Do you believe that Doug Carley, Kenny, his wife Katjaa, Glenn, and Mark will return?" asked Éowyn.
"Yes I do," answered Faramir, "along with Lee, the Lord Aragorn… even the Halfling Frodo and his company."
"I have heard that five of Lee's friends are with Frodo, and that you have met them," mentioned Éowyn, "I have met every one of Lee's companions except those five. What are they like?"
"Well," Faramir replied, explaining, "Lilly thinks of Lee so much that she feared for him when I mentioned Boromir's death, and she wasn't even aware of it at the time. She is a very understanding person and would help those less fortunate than herself. The little girl Clementine... She told me about that if Lee and Lilly get married and they adopt Clementine as their daughter. The little boy Duck... he told told about his mom and dad, his dad is commercial fisherman, and his mom is a veterinarian. But the two teens Ben and Travis… they are a students at a school and full of mischief. They don't always treat Kaoru with the respect that she deserves at times. However, Ben and Travis would always try to act out about how tough he can really be in the face of danger."
Éowyn gaily laughed, after hearing this colorful explanation of Ben and Travis's character, as Faramir laughed along with her.
"The children of Lee's world must have a great rebellious streak indeed," said a brightened Éowyn, "who knows… one day Middle-Earth might even breed such high-spirited youths like Yahiko."
"Indeed," replied Faramir with optimism.
The pair stood still as time halted for them, as they both waited for something, that neither of them knew what it was. At that moment… Faramir and Éowyn's hands slowly met and clasped affectionately, as they once did on their first night together.
Faramir then spoke passionately, "Éowyn of Rohan, I say to you that you are beautiful. Neither flower nor lady in Gondor is so lovely and sorrowful as you are. And you have truly won great renown that shall not be forgotten. Were you sorrowless, without fear or any lack, or even the blissful Queen of Gondor herself…I would love you still. If darkness does fall upon our world, I hope to face it steadily when it comes. But it would ease my heart, Lady Éowyn… that I would have the chance to hold you in my arms once more."
Éowyn smiled graciously at Faramir's earnestly loving request… and laid her head onto his chest. Faramir embraced Éowyn, stroking her fair hair so smoothly as he had always done, that made Éowyn feel very comfortable around him. With that, the couple stood alone for long moments by themselves in the gardens.
Four days passed in Mordor after Frodo, Lilly, Clementine, Duck, Ben, Travis, and Sam escaped from the Orc armies, and now walked across the desolate, rocky plain of Gorgoroth, which was completely deserted, making a clear path across Mordor. Down on the stones behind the mountainous fences of the Black Land, the air seemed almost dead, chill and yet stifling. The ground was dreary, flat and drab-hued. Broad, smoking fissures that were pocked into the plains, sent clouds of heat into the air here and there amongst the rocks…
Slowly… and painfully… they clambered along, stumbling and scrambling over rock, briar, and dead wood…
The heavy armor of the Orcs and Uruks became heavy for them all to bear, with the intolerable rotting stench of the skins they wore, adding to their misfortune of the trek within Sauron's territory. Frodo staggered very wearily under the added weight of the Orc armor, as the ring alone… was enough to wear him down. The Ringbearer knew that he could not go much farther with the extra burden…
The path became hotter and hotter each step… as the travelers were very near… to Mount Doom.
So far, the companions had no other hindrances to their quest. One day, they all trundled up a rocky hill. Sam was in the lead, followed by Ben, Travis, Duck, Clementine, Lilly, and Frodo in the rear. Suddenly… Frodo, becoming more wearisome of the heavy Orc armor… tripped over a rock, crashing onto the ground.
"Frodo!" cried Lilly as she went down to the Hobbit, who was strained with exhaustion, "can you stand?"
"Can you walk," asked Clementine.
"You can't give up yet," cried Duck.
"…I can't," Frodo panted heavily, as he removed his helmet, tossing it aside, "I can't-I can't manage the ring, Miss Lilly! Miss Clementine! Mr. Duck. Its, its-its such a weight to carry."
Lilly, Clementine, and Duck stared gloomily at Frodo's tiredness, helplessly watching him breathe with much difficult fatigue and suffering.
"It-such a weight," finished Frodo, rather drained.
Sam then uncovered his head and pointed with his blade at Mt. Doom, saying, "we're going that way, straight as we can. There's no point in carrying anything we're not sure to need."
"Yeah," added Ben as he removed his helmet, "this armor for one, its too uncomfortable."
"You're right, Ben," added Travis as he removed his helmet.
"Clementine and Duck removed their helmets off their heads.
"Not to mention it smells like decaying corpses," said Lilly, taking her Orc helmet off her head also, "and this helmet's totally ruining my hair and my womanly facial features."
"Since when did you ever have womanly features, ugly?" Gen impudently remarked his usual insults at Kaoru, to which she grunted miserably.
"I'll be personally glad to get rid of this stinking armor myself," said Sam, pleasurably, "we'll be Orcs no more from this moment on."
"…If there be any Orc here, let them take me if they will," muttered a flustered Frodo, "…for I find myself too tired to go any further."
Sam, Ben, Travis, Duck, Clementine, and Lilly stared gloomily at Frodo, as he made his statement, showing that his hope was now leaving him, slowly.
With that, they carried all the Orc gear they had with them, to one of the many gaping fissures that scored the land and threw them in, one by one… including the cooking pans that Sam carried during the entire journey. Having to part with his pans was a death-knell to Sam's heart, as he heard the clatter of metal sounding down into the darkness they fell in.
The travelers took a rest within an outcropping of rock, seeing it was nightfall. Sam, Lilly, Clementine, Duck, Ben, Travis, and Frodo were shaking uncomfortably, feeling much cold as they were now without their cloaks and other warm clothing, save the clothes that they were wearing. All they had at this point, were their own arms, as well as each other to keep warm. Sam suddenly looked up, as a dim, bright light shone on his face…
"Mr. Frodo," said Sam to Frodo, in a small trembling voice, "…look."
Lilly, Clementine, Duck, Ben, and Travis turned their gazes up to where Sam was looking… and saw there, peeping among the cloud-wrack, high up in the mountains... a white, bright twinkling star, which beauty smote their hearts greatly, as hope returned to them from inside the forsaken land they were in.
"There is light," Sam added fondly, while looking at the glittering star, "and beauty up there… that no shadow can touch."
"He's right, Frodo, its quite wonderful," said Clementine brightly, complimenting the star they saw, "you should really see it… Frodo…?"
Sam turned down to look at Frodo… who wasn't answering to his or Clementine's calls… but continued to shiver uncomfortably, suffering in a way that neither of them had ever seen before.
"Mr. Frodo doesn't look too well," observed Sam hopelessly, "I thought that lightening the load would make him feel a bit lighter. I guess it didn't work it seems. I fear that he really might not want to continue any further, like he said."
"Ugh, but he can't give out now," returned Travis in exasperation, "there has to be something we can do."
"Frodo's about lost his hope, Travis," mentioned Duck, "and it's not like we can try to take the ring like you and Sam did last time, otherwise he'll go mad. The ring almost has him in his power now."
"…Maybe there's one solution Mr. Duck," Sam interjected with a suggestion, "Lilly, Ben. Travis, and I could try carrying Mr. Frodo, along with the ring, up to the mountain together, since it's not possible for any of us to bear that accursed thing by ourselves. You and Clementine follow us. I'd carry him up myself, if it were up to me alone. I don't even care if it breaks my back and heart. I'd definitely get there, if I were to leave everything but my bones behind."
Ben hardened himself as he said, "that sounds like a good idea to me and Travis. We wouldn't care much either if We got maimed or injured while carrying Frodo to that rotten mountain, so long as it got the job done."
Lilly lightened herself, as she silently agreed with her other companions' resolution to the problem that Frodo was now having.
"We'll think about what to do with Frodo later, if carrying him to Mt. Doom truly becomes a last resort for us," advised Lilly, "…but right now, we better get some sleep. We're all going to need it."
Sam, Ben, and Travis nodded affirmatively, knowing that they should all take some rest after traveling such a long way across Mordor. However… they all may not be able to rest completely…
As the Eye of Sauron, atop Barad-dûr tower, still shone its light, determined to find the ring, constantly sensing its power nearby, within his kingdom. The evil eye suddenly began to set its light near to where the travelers were for a few brief moments…
Then moved on again to continue his personal hunt for his tool of absolute power.
Lee, Aragorn, Gandalf, and the remaining forces of Men neared the pass of Cirith Gorgor. It was a very long march that lasted nearly a week, as the men marched light with what provisions they had so that they would be able to fight. Mounted upon horses… Lee and Aragorn looked to their side…
And looked upon the great, vast fortified iron entrance to Mordor, spanning a great distance across, connecting Ered Lithui to Ephel Dúath, guarded by the towers of Narchost and Carchost on either side of the entrance…
'The Black Gate, of Mordor,' thought Lee, with narrowed eyes, as he and his friends from both Middle-Earth and Georgia… have nearly come to the final battle…
Disclaimer: I do not own Telltale Series The Walking Dead or Lord of the Rings. TWD is the property of Darrell Rodriguez and Lord of the Rings is the property of Professor J. R. R. Tolkien