Chapter 6
Standing beside the Black Stone Aragorn looked out at the darkness. The night sky was starless, but he could see a pale mist that lingered on the ground.
"Oathbreakers," he called, "why have ye come?"
"To fulfil our oath and have peace." An answer sighed from the mist.
Aragorn bid them to come and fight, saying: "When all this land is clean of the servants of Sauron I will hold the oath fulfilled."
He turned to Halbarad. With a silent nod the Ranger unfurled the standard he had carried with him all the way from the North. Save for the black background nothing else of the banner was visible.
After enough time had passed Aragorn ordered camp to be set. They spent a long, sleepless night by the Stone of Erech.
~o~o~
Dawn had barely peeked over the horizon when Aragorn rose and left his tent. Very quickly the rest of the Company got up, and soon they were riding down the road.
The Dead were following, and at every town the people fled. It was the same all the way from Calembel to Linhir; the people fled because the Dead followed them.