Disclaimer: The final chapter in which we battle the foes from Tolkien's
world. Yes, the foes may be his but the plot of the story is mine and the
three girls actually exist!
"Oh crap," she said.
"What is it?" Sarah asked.
"The Orcs and Ringwraiths are at the borders already. We have to stop them so the Fellowship can get away," Kristi said.
"Stall them? Orcs and Ringwraiths?" Alex said.
"What do you mean we?" Sarah asked.
"This didn't happen in the book. Something is different. . .us. We have to stall them or Middle-Earth as we know it will be controlled by Sauron." She drew her sword, "we've been given gifts and I think this is why. I'm going to stall them. Are you with me?"
Alex and Sarah stared at her.
Sarah spoke first, "I'll get Pegasus and ride with you."
Alex shouldered a quiver and said, "let's go hunting for Orcs."
As they rode to the borders Sarah said, "nice speech, very revolutionary."
Kristi and Alex laughed. They each wore tunics with chain mail armor the elves had given them. A loud roar in the distance stopped their horses. Alex and Sarah readied their arrows while Kristi drew her sword. Alex started picking off Orcs when they charged, Sarah shot arrows as her horse seemed to avoid every attack of Orcs, and Kristi rode through them swiping the sword below her. Kristi hopped off the horse and fought them on the ground. Alex did the same taking shelter behind a tree, shooting arrows.
A sound like the rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. Nine dark figures appeared on a hill above the Orcs. Kristi climbed back on her horse.
"You guys can handle the Orcs right?" Kristi asked.
"Yeah," Sarah shouted. "Wait a minute, what are you talking about?"
"I'm going to mislead the Nazgûl," Kristi said.
"Are you crazy?" Alex shouted.
The tallest Nazgûl shouted in Black Speech.
"What did he say?" Sarah asked.
"You don't want to know," Kristi said quickly.
She shouted back in Black Speech, startling all but the Lord of the Nazgûl.
"What did you say?" Alex asked.
"Uh. . .come and face me you robed slaves of Sauron," Kristi said.
Sarah spoke up, "when we get out of this I advise you seek psychiatric help."
Kristi urged her horse forward and galloped in the opposite direction of the Fellowship. She saw the Nazgûl draw their swords.
"This is definitely not good," she mumbled.
Alex and Sarah continued picking off Orcs. Alex drew arrows at an unimaginable speed, while Sarah's connection with her horse guided her arrows' paths. When the last Orc was killed they slapped high fives and hugged.
"We're alive!" Sarah shouted.
"We totally kicked some Orc behind!" Alex shouted.
Sarah looked around, "where the heck is Kristi?"
"Oh no," Alex said.
Kristi was still riding her horse staying ahead of the Nazgûl. Her horse fell and Kristi was thrown off the horse. She kept running through the forest, thoughts racing. Why did I challenge the Nazgûl? I knew I shouldn't have insulted them.
She ran until she reached a river and was stopped by a waterfall.
"No way," she said between ragged breaths.
The Riders slowly surrounded her and when she drew her sword she could hear their hissing laughs.
"You dare challenge me?" the Lord of the Nazgûl questioned. He got off his horse, with sword in hand.
"Yes, as a matter of fact I do," Kristi said.
No one saw Alex or Sarah watching from the forest edge. They saw Kristi having a swordfight with the Lord of the Nazgûl.
"Now I know she's officially crazy," Sarah whispered to Alex.
The Nazgûl hit the sword out of Kristi's hand and kicked her to the ground. The sword was at her throat and she backed up on the ground. The Nazgûl seemed to listen to an invisible voice that Alex or Sarah couldn't hear, but Kristi could.
"What do you want me to do with her my Lord?" the Nazgûl questioned silently.
"Take her to Mordor," a deep voice sounded.
Kristi's eyes widened when she heard that.
Alex was drawing her bow, but Sarah stopped her.
The Lord of the Nazgûl grabbed Kristi by her neck, lifting her. She struggled and managed to get free, dropping to the ground. She then ran towards the waterfall and jumped.
"No!" Alex and Sarah cried.
The Lord of the Nazgûl jumped on his horse, which sprouted wings and flew catching Kristi before she landed.
"No one escapes Sauron that easily," he said menacingly.
Sarah held Alex back, "don't draw attention. We can't kill them."
"Why?" Alex said struggling.
"They still have a role to play in the story."
"Now I understand why they're referred to as Winged Shadows," Alex said.
Sarah climbed on her horse, which sprouted wings.
"How did you-"
"Ask me later," Sarah said. "Are you coming?"
Alex grabbed some weapons and jumped on. They flew off behind the Riders.
Kristi was held in a vice grip by the Lord of the Nazgûl.
"How long have you been a slave to the Ring?" Kristi asked.
"I think you need an attitude adjustment," the Nazgûl said.
"And I think you need a sense of humor," Kristi said.
Arriving in Mordor, Kristi was thrown into a cell by the Nazgûl.
"I'll return," he said.
"Is that a promise or a threat?" Kristi challenged.
The Rider drew his sword, "would you care to find out?"
"Never mind," Kristi said.
Alex and Sarah were flying through the clouds. They had lost sight of the Nazgûl.
"Which way is Mordor?" Sarah asked.
"I don't know. . .yet," Alex said. She slowly closed her eyes and whispered something in Elvish causing the clouds to clear. "Fly southeast until we see mountains. We're close."
They rode into the clouds avoiding the many eyes of Sauron. When a dark castle came into view Alex concentrated and said, "she's in there."
The horse dropped them off and Sarah had it fly away. She could call on it and she knew it would come. They slipped through the bars on the ground floor and proceeded to search for Kristi with as much stealth as they could muster.
"Well, Kristi always wanted to be in a castle," Sarah said.
"Guess she got her wish," Alex said.
Kristi meanwhile was pacing back and forth in a cell.
"This cannot be happening," she said softly.
"Oh but it is," the Nazgûl said opening the cell. He took Kristi to a chamber where the other Nazgûl were. Two took her arms while their leader stood in front of her.
"How do you know Black Speech?" he questioned.
Kristi didn't even have an answer for that.
"Only servants of Sauron know it. How do you know it?"
"I just do," Kristi said quietly.
"Where are you from?" the Nazgûl asked.
"I hale from nowhere for my father is a Ranger and we don't settle anywhere for long."
"She lies," a voice whispered.
The voice sent chills down everyone's spine in the castle.
"My Lord?" the Nazgûl questioned.
"Make her one of you."
"No!" Kristi said struggling.
The Nazgûl held out her left arm, palm up for the leader. Drawing his sword, the Lord of the Nazgûl made a cut on her arm. A shadow washed over her, along with Sauron's influence.
"Ah. . .your name is Kristi." His voice was like silk sliding across ice. "Inhabitant of Earth. Tell me, what can I do to get the Ring?"
"I'll never tell you," Kristi said weakly.
"You may change your mind," the Nazgûl said. "Once you are one of us you might want to reveal the knowledge you possess."
"Her friends. . ." Sauron's voice whispered.
"Of course," the Nazgûl said. "Take her to the dungeon. Keep your senses aware. When they come we shall capture them." He turned to Kristi, "perhaps they will be more willing to talk."
Alex and Sarah navigated their way through the castle.
Alex stopped, "something bad has happened."
Sarah nodded. "I think I see an entrance to the dungeon. I bet she's in there."
Alex and Sarah didn't notice the Orcs gathering behind them. They grabbed Alex muffling her scream.
Sarah continued to the dungeon. Sniffing the air she said, "Man Alex, when we get back you have to take a shower."
Sarah heard a growl behind her and came face to face with an Orc.
"You're not Alex."
The Orc grabbed her and threw her in a cell with Alex and Kristi.
"What took you so long?" Alex asked.
"I'm fashionably late," Sarah responded.
"What are you guys doing here?" Kristi asked.
"Rescuing you," Alex said.
"Is this apart of your plan?" Kristi asked.
"Of course it is," Sarah said. "We were planning to get captured all along."
"So. . .you made it up as you went along?" Kristi said.
"Yep," Alex said.
"Yeah, basically," Sarah said.
They started to notice Kristi was pale.
"What's wrong?" Sarah asked.
"Nothing," Kristi said. "Just a headache."
"No, it's something more," Alex said concerned.
Kristi showed her left arm.
"Oh my god," Sarah said.
"Please don't tell me it's from the Nazgûl blade," Alex said.
Kristi nodded, "it is."
"What can we do?" Sarah asked. She thought for a moment, and then something clicked. "Alex."
"What?"
"You can heal her," Sarah said. "The Elves healed Frodo and you have Elven abilities."
"I don't know. . ."
"Just try it Alex," Kristi said. "You can do it."
Alex put her hand over the wound and closed her eyes. She whispered rapidly in Elvish and her hand started to glow. But a shadow covered the cell and Alex pulled away.
"A shadow is blocking me and it's too far of a distance to Rivendell to get her to healing Elves. But I did hear a voice that said 'the way to heal is to break the bond which bonded you to darkness. The future shadow holds the answer.'"
"What does that mean?" Sarah asked.
"Of course," Kristi said, "break the Nazgûl blade."
"But how will we get out of here?" Alex asked.
Kristi pulled a familiar looking dagger out of her boot, "pick the lock."
They worked on the lock and to their surprise it opened.
Kristi turned to Sarah and Alex. "You don't have to do this. If we fail Sauron will try to get information from our minds."
"Are you kidding?" Alex asked.
"We're not going to let you have all the fun," Sarah said.
Kristi smiled, "'then are you with me? Yay or nay.'"
Sarah looked confused, "'which one means yes?'"
"'Yay,'" Kristi said rolling her eyes.
"Yay!" Alex and Sarah said.
Grabbing their weapons, Alex tossed Kristi her sword. "Thought you might need this."
"No lightsaber sounds," Sarah said.
"Fine," Kristi said. Closing her eyes she said, "the Nazgûl are in the throne room."
"How do you know that?" Alex asked.
"You don't want to know," Kristi said.
Running through the corridors they ran into Orcs.
"Not these guys again," Alex said.
"You take the ugly one," Sarah said to Kristi.
"Which one is the ugly one?" Kristi said.
Making quick work of the Orcs they came to the throne room. Kristi grabbed her cut in pain when the Lord of the Nazgûl stared at her. His form switched from wraith-world to reality in her mind.
"I'll stall those four," Alex said pointing.
Sarah whistled and her horse flew in the window. "I'll take the other four."
Kristi pointed to the Lord of the Nazgûl with her sword, "I'll take that one."
During the fight the Nazgûl said, "one more cut and you're instantly one of us."
"That's a risk I'm willing to take," she said.
Sarah was dodging the attacks of the Nazgûl on the horse. They mounted their steeds and a chase ensued in the air. Alex took off in the castle getting the Nazgûl to follow her through the endless corridors.
Sarah could see Kristi was faltering in the swordfight. The Ringwraith was trying to defeat her not only physically, but mentally as well. Kristi slipped and the Nazgûl went in for the kill. Sarah seemed to dive-bomb the horse and knocked the Nazgûl aside.
Kristi grabbed her sword nodding to Sarah and brought it down, breaking the Nazgûl blade in half.
"No!" a voice rang out.
Sarah swooped down and Kristi climbed on the horse. Alex ran in and jumped on. Flying away from the castle they could see the Nazgûl temporarily weakened.
A white light surrounded them obscuring their vision. When they opened their eyes they were back in the tent.
"What happened?" Sarah asked.
"Was that real?" Alex questioned.
Kristi looked at her arm. On it was a scar of a familiar looking wound. Showing her arm she said, "yes."
Their bags were next to them. Alex pulled out a golden arrow, Sarah a wooden horse, and Kristi a sword. A set of bow and arrows, daggers, and mushrooms lay next to them.
"No one is going to believe us," Sarah said.
"At least we know the truth," Alex said.
"A truth in which a friendship, now a Fellowship of Three was formed," Kristi said philosophically.
Sarah and Alex looked at her skeptically.
"Just imagine if we have another sleepover," Kristi said mischievously.
They broke out in laughter, which echoed to Middle-Earth.
Author's Note: Well, I hope you enjoyed the story and this last chapter, my favorite. And yes the Kristi in the story actually does have a scar on her arm, which frightened her friends. [evil laughter] *friends cringe* Anyway please review!
"Oh crap," she said.
"What is it?" Sarah asked.
"The Orcs and Ringwraiths are at the borders already. We have to stop them so the Fellowship can get away," Kristi said.
"Stall them? Orcs and Ringwraiths?" Alex said.
"What do you mean we?" Sarah asked.
"This didn't happen in the book. Something is different. . .us. We have to stall them or Middle-Earth as we know it will be controlled by Sauron." She drew her sword, "we've been given gifts and I think this is why. I'm going to stall them. Are you with me?"
Alex and Sarah stared at her.
Sarah spoke first, "I'll get Pegasus and ride with you."
Alex shouldered a quiver and said, "let's go hunting for Orcs."
As they rode to the borders Sarah said, "nice speech, very revolutionary."
Kristi and Alex laughed. They each wore tunics with chain mail armor the elves had given them. A loud roar in the distance stopped their horses. Alex and Sarah readied their arrows while Kristi drew her sword. Alex started picking off Orcs when they charged, Sarah shot arrows as her horse seemed to avoid every attack of Orcs, and Kristi rode through them swiping the sword below her. Kristi hopped off the horse and fought them on the ground. Alex did the same taking shelter behind a tree, shooting arrows.
A sound like the rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. Nine dark figures appeared on a hill above the Orcs. Kristi climbed back on her horse.
"You guys can handle the Orcs right?" Kristi asked.
"Yeah," Sarah shouted. "Wait a minute, what are you talking about?"
"I'm going to mislead the Nazgûl," Kristi said.
"Are you crazy?" Alex shouted.
The tallest Nazgûl shouted in Black Speech.
"What did he say?" Sarah asked.
"You don't want to know," Kristi said quickly.
She shouted back in Black Speech, startling all but the Lord of the Nazgûl.
"What did you say?" Alex asked.
"Uh. . .come and face me you robed slaves of Sauron," Kristi said.
Sarah spoke up, "when we get out of this I advise you seek psychiatric help."
Kristi urged her horse forward and galloped in the opposite direction of the Fellowship. She saw the Nazgûl draw their swords.
"This is definitely not good," she mumbled.
Alex and Sarah continued picking off Orcs. Alex drew arrows at an unimaginable speed, while Sarah's connection with her horse guided her arrows' paths. When the last Orc was killed they slapped high fives and hugged.
"We're alive!" Sarah shouted.
"We totally kicked some Orc behind!" Alex shouted.
Sarah looked around, "where the heck is Kristi?"
"Oh no," Alex said.
Kristi was still riding her horse staying ahead of the Nazgûl. Her horse fell and Kristi was thrown off the horse. She kept running through the forest, thoughts racing. Why did I challenge the Nazgûl? I knew I shouldn't have insulted them.
She ran until she reached a river and was stopped by a waterfall.
"No way," she said between ragged breaths.
The Riders slowly surrounded her and when she drew her sword she could hear their hissing laughs.
"You dare challenge me?" the Lord of the Nazgûl questioned. He got off his horse, with sword in hand.
"Yes, as a matter of fact I do," Kristi said.
No one saw Alex or Sarah watching from the forest edge. They saw Kristi having a swordfight with the Lord of the Nazgûl.
"Now I know she's officially crazy," Sarah whispered to Alex.
The Nazgûl hit the sword out of Kristi's hand and kicked her to the ground. The sword was at her throat and she backed up on the ground. The Nazgûl seemed to listen to an invisible voice that Alex or Sarah couldn't hear, but Kristi could.
"What do you want me to do with her my Lord?" the Nazgûl questioned silently.
"Take her to Mordor," a deep voice sounded.
Kristi's eyes widened when she heard that.
Alex was drawing her bow, but Sarah stopped her.
The Lord of the Nazgûl grabbed Kristi by her neck, lifting her. She struggled and managed to get free, dropping to the ground. She then ran towards the waterfall and jumped.
"No!" Alex and Sarah cried.
The Lord of the Nazgûl jumped on his horse, which sprouted wings and flew catching Kristi before she landed.
"No one escapes Sauron that easily," he said menacingly.
Sarah held Alex back, "don't draw attention. We can't kill them."
"Why?" Alex said struggling.
"They still have a role to play in the story."
"Now I understand why they're referred to as Winged Shadows," Alex said.
Sarah climbed on her horse, which sprouted wings.
"How did you-"
"Ask me later," Sarah said. "Are you coming?"
Alex grabbed some weapons and jumped on. They flew off behind the Riders.
Kristi was held in a vice grip by the Lord of the Nazgûl.
"How long have you been a slave to the Ring?" Kristi asked.
"I think you need an attitude adjustment," the Nazgûl said.
"And I think you need a sense of humor," Kristi said.
Arriving in Mordor, Kristi was thrown into a cell by the Nazgûl.
"I'll return," he said.
"Is that a promise or a threat?" Kristi challenged.
The Rider drew his sword, "would you care to find out?"
"Never mind," Kristi said.
Alex and Sarah were flying through the clouds. They had lost sight of the Nazgûl.
"Which way is Mordor?" Sarah asked.
"I don't know. . .yet," Alex said. She slowly closed her eyes and whispered something in Elvish causing the clouds to clear. "Fly southeast until we see mountains. We're close."
They rode into the clouds avoiding the many eyes of Sauron. When a dark castle came into view Alex concentrated and said, "she's in there."
The horse dropped them off and Sarah had it fly away. She could call on it and she knew it would come. They slipped through the bars on the ground floor and proceeded to search for Kristi with as much stealth as they could muster.
"Well, Kristi always wanted to be in a castle," Sarah said.
"Guess she got her wish," Alex said.
Kristi meanwhile was pacing back and forth in a cell.
"This cannot be happening," she said softly.
"Oh but it is," the Nazgûl said opening the cell. He took Kristi to a chamber where the other Nazgûl were. Two took her arms while their leader stood in front of her.
"How do you know Black Speech?" he questioned.
Kristi didn't even have an answer for that.
"Only servants of Sauron know it. How do you know it?"
"I just do," Kristi said quietly.
"Where are you from?" the Nazgûl asked.
"I hale from nowhere for my father is a Ranger and we don't settle anywhere for long."
"She lies," a voice whispered.
The voice sent chills down everyone's spine in the castle.
"My Lord?" the Nazgûl questioned.
"Make her one of you."
"No!" Kristi said struggling.
The Nazgûl held out her left arm, palm up for the leader. Drawing his sword, the Lord of the Nazgûl made a cut on her arm. A shadow washed over her, along with Sauron's influence.
"Ah. . .your name is Kristi." His voice was like silk sliding across ice. "Inhabitant of Earth. Tell me, what can I do to get the Ring?"
"I'll never tell you," Kristi said weakly.
"You may change your mind," the Nazgûl said. "Once you are one of us you might want to reveal the knowledge you possess."
"Her friends. . ." Sauron's voice whispered.
"Of course," the Nazgûl said. "Take her to the dungeon. Keep your senses aware. When they come we shall capture them." He turned to Kristi, "perhaps they will be more willing to talk."
Alex and Sarah navigated their way through the castle.
Alex stopped, "something bad has happened."
Sarah nodded. "I think I see an entrance to the dungeon. I bet she's in there."
Alex and Sarah didn't notice the Orcs gathering behind them. They grabbed Alex muffling her scream.
Sarah continued to the dungeon. Sniffing the air she said, "Man Alex, when we get back you have to take a shower."
Sarah heard a growl behind her and came face to face with an Orc.
"You're not Alex."
The Orc grabbed her and threw her in a cell with Alex and Kristi.
"What took you so long?" Alex asked.
"I'm fashionably late," Sarah responded.
"What are you guys doing here?" Kristi asked.
"Rescuing you," Alex said.
"Is this apart of your plan?" Kristi asked.
"Of course it is," Sarah said. "We were planning to get captured all along."
"So. . .you made it up as you went along?" Kristi said.
"Yep," Alex said.
"Yeah, basically," Sarah said.
They started to notice Kristi was pale.
"What's wrong?" Sarah asked.
"Nothing," Kristi said. "Just a headache."
"No, it's something more," Alex said concerned.
Kristi showed her left arm.
"Oh my god," Sarah said.
"Please don't tell me it's from the Nazgûl blade," Alex said.
Kristi nodded, "it is."
"What can we do?" Sarah asked. She thought for a moment, and then something clicked. "Alex."
"What?"
"You can heal her," Sarah said. "The Elves healed Frodo and you have Elven abilities."
"I don't know. . ."
"Just try it Alex," Kristi said. "You can do it."
Alex put her hand over the wound and closed her eyes. She whispered rapidly in Elvish and her hand started to glow. But a shadow covered the cell and Alex pulled away.
"A shadow is blocking me and it's too far of a distance to Rivendell to get her to healing Elves. But I did hear a voice that said 'the way to heal is to break the bond which bonded you to darkness. The future shadow holds the answer.'"
"What does that mean?" Sarah asked.
"Of course," Kristi said, "break the Nazgûl blade."
"But how will we get out of here?" Alex asked.
Kristi pulled a familiar looking dagger out of her boot, "pick the lock."
They worked on the lock and to their surprise it opened.
Kristi turned to Sarah and Alex. "You don't have to do this. If we fail Sauron will try to get information from our minds."
"Are you kidding?" Alex asked.
"We're not going to let you have all the fun," Sarah said.
Kristi smiled, "'then are you with me? Yay or nay.'"
Sarah looked confused, "'which one means yes?'"
"'Yay,'" Kristi said rolling her eyes.
"Yay!" Alex and Sarah said.
Grabbing their weapons, Alex tossed Kristi her sword. "Thought you might need this."
"No lightsaber sounds," Sarah said.
"Fine," Kristi said. Closing her eyes she said, "the Nazgûl are in the throne room."
"How do you know that?" Alex asked.
"You don't want to know," Kristi said.
Running through the corridors they ran into Orcs.
"Not these guys again," Alex said.
"You take the ugly one," Sarah said to Kristi.
"Which one is the ugly one?" Kristi said.
Making quick work of the Orcs they came to the throne room. Kristi grabbed her cut in pain when the Lord of the Nazgûl stared at her. His form switched from wraith-world to reality in her mind.
"I'll stall those four," Alex said pointing.
Sarah whistled and her horse flew in the window. "I'll take the other four."
Kristi pointed to the Lord of the Nazgûl with her sword, "I'll take that one."
During the fight the Nazgûl said, "one more cut and you're instantly one of us."
"That's a risk I'm willing to take," she said.
Sarah was dodging the attacks of the Nazgûl on the horse. They mounted their steeds and a chase ensued in the air. Alex took off in the castle getting the Nazgûl to follow her through the endless corridors.
Sarah could see Kristi was faltering in the swordfight. The Ringwraith was trying to defeat her not only physically, but mentally as well. Kristi slipped and the Nazgûl went in for the kill. Sarah seemed to dive-bomb the horse and knocked the Nazgûl aside.
Kristi grabbed her sword nodding to Sarah and brought it down, breaking the Nazgûl blade in half.
"No!" a voice rang out.
Sarah swooped down and Kristi climbed on the horse. Alex ran in and jumped on. Flying away from the castle they could see the Nazgûl temporarily weakened.
A white light surrounded them obscuring their vision. When they opened their eyes they were back in the tent.
"What happened?" Sarah asked.
"Was that real?" Alex questioned.
Kristi looked at her arm. On it was a scar of a familiar looking wound. Showing her arm she said, "yes."
Their bags were next to them. Alex pulled out a golden arrow, Sarah a wooden horse, and Kristi a sword. A set of bow and arrows, daggers, and mushrooms lay next to them.
"No one is going to believe us," Sarah said.
"At least we know the truth," Alex said.
"A truth in which a friendship, now a Fellowship of Three was formed," Kristi said philosophically.
Sarah and Alex looked at her skeptically.
"Just imagine if we have another sleepover," Kristi said mischievously.
They broke out in laughter, which echoed to Middle-Earth.
Author's Note: Well, I hope you enjoyed the story and this last chapter, my favorite. And yes the Kristi in the story actually does have a scar on her arm, which frightened her friends. [evil laughter] *friends cringe* Anyway please review!