Chapter 24

Finally, Dickens sliced at Aragorn with one of his swords. Aragorn easily leapt away, his sword singing as it sliced at Dickens. More loud clangs of metal on metal, and still no blood. Dickens was getting angry, no one had lasted this long against him without him cutting something. Aragorn remained cool, knowing that if he let Dickens get mad, he'd make a mistake. Dickens charged at Aragorn and did make a mistake, as he sliced he left a side open to attack. Aragorn landed a slice onto it, partially blocked by Dickens' second sword. Dickens cursed him. Aragorn gave a look that tricked Dickens into thinking he was getting cocky. Dickens fought harder, but Aragorn fought the hardest. More clangs and Dickens finally managed to hurt Aragorn, cutting the top of his knuckles on one of his hands. Aragorn didn't even flinch. Dickens was surprised that Aragorn didn't even look to see how badly he was injured. "You didn't even chip the bone! You're rather weak, Dickens" Aragorn laughed at the 'tiny' cut. Aragorn landed two more hits, knocking one of Dickens' swords across the courtyard. Dickens scowled and redoubled his attacks. Aragorn easily dodged them and landed the final blow, slicing his sword deeply across Dickens' gut. Dickens dropped his other sword and fell. "You cannot take over my realm so easily. I am King here, and no one can take my place until I die." He turned his back to Dickens as he went to go back up to the turret where Arwen awaited. Dickens wasn't dead yet, and he pulled out a small, poisoned throwing dagger. He hurled it at Aragorn and struck him in the lower back. Aragorn gasped in pain and surprise, falling on his knees. Legolas loosed his arrow and killed Dickens. Arwen cried out to Aragorn, who was lying on the floor of the courtyard. Terrico gently levitated Arwen and herself down to Aragorn. Arwen wept, pulling Aragorn onto her lap. He was still alive, barely. He spoke quietly in Elvish to Arwen, assuring her that he would be fine and that he loved her. Terrico looked over the wound. "Poison. Not good at all." She pulled out the dagger gingerly, then threw it at Dickens' dead body. The dagger sank up to the hilt into Dickens' forehead. She then set her staff against the wound, similar to how she'd healed Arwen. The staff responded before she'd even spoken. It had sensed the urgency and sent out the spells before Terrico had used them. It still had memory of healing Arwen. Thick blue bolts of energy raced over Aragorn's skin, negating the effects of the poison and stopping its progress. Then, tongues of flame raced over him, warming him slightly and closing his wounds. Arwen watched in amazement. Legolas jumped down and ran over, kneeling next to Terrico. Terrico lifted away her staff and examined the area, which was now a reddish pink. "He's fine now, just a bit tired," exhaustion was evident in her voice, "I just have one more thing to do." She stood up, leaning heavily on her staff. She spoke quickly and quietly, chanting into the ruby. The ruby's glow pulsed twice, and then all of the Rebels that were frozen around them fell dead. Terrico collapsed. Legolas caught her and gently laid her down next to Aragorn. He looked at Arwen. "That was easier than I thought." She smiled and nodded. Aragorn was asleep in her lap again. The dragons roared on the turrets, announcing Aragorn's victory. Legolas carefully carried Terrico out into the forest where they had spent the night before.