It was the morning of the sixth day since they marched from Minas Morgul, and it was growing cold. As morning came the wind stirred again, but it was coming from the north, and soon it freshened to a rising breeze. Before the companies of the Captains of the West now loomed the great rampart of Cirith Gorgor, and the Black Gate amidmost, and the two Towers of the Teeth tall and dark on either side.
Camille stared at the two vast iron doors of the Black Gate under its frowning black arch, frowning right back at it. The battlefield before them was completely empty. All was silent but watchful. And for the first time, the shadow of doubt started to float through her mind. There is absolutely no way we could ever HOPE to get through that, she thought as she stared at the field. The only way we could get through that is if had an entire army force from our world, complete with tanks and airplanes, and all of them carrying nuclear weapons. They had arrived at last, and there was no turning back.
Aragorn started to set up their army as best as he could, spreading them over two great hills of blasted stone and earth that the Orcs had piled in years of labor. Camille and Eli stayed with Gandalf, and with them were the twins and Legolas and Gimli. Aragorn stood on the other hill with Prince Imrahil and Eomer. When all was ordered, the Captains rode forth towards the Black Gate with a great guard of horsemen and the banner and heralds and trumpeters. Camille rode on Gandalf's right, while Eli took up the space on his left. With them went Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Pippin, Elladan, Elrohir, Eomer and Imrahil, so that all the enemies of Mordor should have a witness.
They came within cry of the Morannon, and unfurled the banner, and blew upon their trumpets; and the heralds stood out and sent their voices up over the battlement of Mordor.
"Come forth!" they cried. "Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth! Justice shall be done upon him. For wrongfully he has made war upon Gondor and wrested its lands. Therefore the King of Gondor demands that he should atone for his evils, and depart then forever. Come forth!"
The silence that followed this cry was deafening. No sound or response came from the Black Tower. But after a long moment of waiting, the great rolling of drums pounded like thunder in Camille's ears, and the Black Gate clanged open. Out of it rode an embassy from Mordor.
Camille looked down with scorn at the chosen ambassador. HE'S the guy who's supposed to negotiate for Sauron's side? The rider was mounted upon a black horse, and was robed all in black with a tall black helm. He was definitely not a Ringwraith – Camille couldn't sense anything from him – but a living man.
He drew up just in front of them. "I am the Mouth of Sauron," he announced.
Aside, so that he wouldn't hear, Camille muttered. "Mouth of Sauron, eh? Let me go over there and I'll shove a knuckle sandwich down his throat. Or better yet, a knuckle sandwich AND a sock."
Eli jabbed her hard in the ribs for that comment.
"Is there anyone in this rout with authority to treat with me?" he asked. "Or indeed with wit to understand me? Not thou at least!" he mocked, turning to Aragorn with scorn. "It needs more to make a king than a piece of Elvish glass, or a rabble such as this. Why, any brigand of the hills can show as good a following!"
But can they show as STRONG a following? Camille thought, annoyed and irritated. Remember bub, there're more than just MEN in this following. You've got two Summoners who are just SO ready to kick butt and drive both you and your master right out of Mordor, if not right out of Middle-Earth.
Aragorn said naught in answer, but he took the other's eye and held it, and for a moment they strove thus; but soon, though Aragorn did not stir nor move hand to weapon, the other quailed and gave back as if menaced with a blow. "I am a herald and an ambassador, and may not be assailed!" he cried.
"Where such laws hold," said Gandalf, "it is also the custom for ambassadors to use less insolence. But no one has threatened you. You have naught to fear from us, until your errand is done. But unless your master has come to new wisdom then with all his servants you will be in great peril."
"So!" said the Messenger. "Then thou art the spokesman, old graybeard? Have we not heard of thee at whiles, and of thy wanderings, ever hatching plots and mischief at a safe distance? But this time thou hast stuck thy out thy nose too far, Master Gandalf; and thou shalt see what comes to him who sets foolish webs before the feet of Sauron the Great."
He focused his gaze to Camille and Eli, and laughed suddenly. "So, you bring women to war with you now?! You have stooped so low as to bring these women with you to battle?!"
"We are not just 'women', Mouth of Sauron," Eli said coldly. "Tell thy Master to read the ancient prophecies – if he even reads at all. Recall the words spoken by the prophets of long ago! Remember the prophecy that claims the appearance of two maidens called the Summoners, who held great power in their command, power so great that it matched that of the Dark Lord himself. Before thee now stands the fulfillment of that prophecy."
The Mouth of Sauron was silent for a moment, then answered, "Ah, so thou art those two witches at Rohan and Gondor. Do not make claims thou cannot fulfill, witch! It takes more than two petty witches to overthrow Sauron the Great." He smirked then. "I have tokens that I was bidden to show to thee – to thee and Gandalf in especial, if thou shouldst dare to come." He signed to one of his guards, and he came forward bearing a bundle swathed in black cloths.
Camille's blood instantly ran cold when the cloths were pulled back, revealing what lay beneath them. The Mouth of Sauron held up first the short sword that Sam carried, and next a gray cloak with an Elven-brooch, and last the coat of mithril-mail Frodo had worn wrapped in his tattered garments. No way…NO WAY…
Pippin sprang forward then with a cry from where he stood behind Prince Imrahil, but Gandalf held him back. "Silence!" said the Wizard sternly, thrusting him back; but the Messenger laughed aloud.
"So you have yet another of those imps with you!" he cried. "What use you find in them I cannot guess; but to send them as spies into Mordor is beyond even your accustomed folly. Still, I thank him, for it is plain that this brat at least has seen these tokens before, and it would be fain for you to deny them now."
Analyzing his words carefully, Camille realized something dreadfully important. Sauron doesn't know where the Ring is yet. If he had, then maybe the Messenger wouldn't have said the term 'spies' but 'bearers of gifts'. There's still enough reason to hope!
Gandalf continued speaking. "I do not wish to deny them," he said. "Indeed, I know them all and all their history, and despite your scorn, foul Mouth of Sauron, you cannot say as much. But why do you bring them here?"
"Dwarf-coat, Elf-cloak, blade of the downfallen West, and spy from the little rat-land of the Shire – here are the marks of a conspiracy. Now maybe he that bore these things was a creature that you would not grieve to lose, and maybe otherwise: one dear to you, perhaps? If so, take swift counsel with what little wit is left to you. For Sauron does not love spies, and what his fate shall be depends now on your choice."
Camille kept her mouth completely clammed shut, and kept a straight poker face. When she noticed that the others were looking quite anguished, she went that way too, slowly dissolving her straight face so that the Mouth of Sauron didn't notice it. If I give away anything, even through my facial expression, were going to be SO doomed.
The Mouth of Sauron cackled again. "Good, good!" he said. "He was dear to you, I see. Or else his errand was one that you did not wish to fail? It has. And now he shall endure the slow torment of years, as long and as slow as our arts in the Great Tower can contrive, and never be released, unless maybe when he is changed and broken, so that he may come to you, and you shall see what you have done. This shall surely be unless you accept my Lord's terms."
"Name the terms," said Gandalf steadily, but Camille noticed the anguish in his face. Don't worry Gandalf, she thought. Everything's going to be okay. The Ring hasn't been found…yet.
"These are the terms," said the Messenger, and smiled as he eyed them one by one. "The rabble of Gondor and its deluded allies shall withdraw at once beyond the Anduin, first taking oaths never again to assail Sauron the Great in arms, open or secret. All lands east of the Anduin shall be Sauron's forever, solely. West of the Anduin as far as the Misty Mountains and the Gap of Rohan shall be tributary to Mordor, and men there shall bear no weapons, but shall have leave to govern their own affairs. But they shall help to rebuild Isengard, which they have wantonly destroyed, and that shall be Sauron's, and there his lieutenant shall dwell: not Saruman, but one more worthy of trust. Also, Sauron demands that you surrender to him the two witches whom you call the Summoners, that he may pass his own judgment upon them."
Camille snarled at that moment. "In your dreams! There's no way IN HELL Eli and I are going to just hand ourselves over to Sauron. Either we go down, or HE does!!!"
Gandalf held a hand out to shush her, though she could see the faint gleam of pride in his eyes. Turning once more to the Messenger, he said, "This is too much to demand for the delivery of one servant: that your Master should receive in exchange what he must else fight many a war to gain! Or has the field of Gondor destroyed his hope in war, so that he falls to haggling? And if indeed we rated this prisoner so high, what surety have we that Sauron, the Base Master of Treachery, will keep his part? Where is this prisoner? Let him be brought forth and yielded to us, and then we will consider the demands."
Camille stared hard at the Messenger, and she thought for a moment that they had finally won in this little debate, but it was not so. For the Mouth of Sauron laughed, and answered swiftly, "Do not bandy words in your insolence with the Mouth of Sauron!" he cried. "Surety you crave! Sauron gives none. If you sue for his clemency you must first do his bidding. These are his terms. Take them or leave them!"
All right, fine! We'll leave them! Camille thought, her anger rising to record heights now that she had all the more proof that they didn't have Frodo – or the Ring. There's no point in this Gandalf! Let's just get it over with and kill them all!
"These we will take!" said Gandalf suddenly. He cast aside his cloak and a white light shone forth like a sword in that black place. Before his upraised hand the foul Messenger recoiled, and Gandalf coming seized from him the tokens: coat, cloak and sword. "These we will take in memory of our friend!" he cried. "But as for your terms, we reject them utterly. Get you gone, for your embassy is over and death is near you. We did not come here to waste words in treating with Sauron, faithless and accursed; still less with one of his slaves. Begone!"
Eli glared at the Messenger, and cried, "Tell this to your Master, Mouth of Sauron: the Summoners of the Four Great Spirits of Middle-Earth are not to be bargained with, neither shall they surrender themselves to him. If he wants us, then he can come and pluck our cold dead bodies from the ground – if he even manages to live to do that." Her body glowed with a blue light, and high above storm clouds rolled together, lighting and thunder flashing between them.
"We are not to be reasoned with, Mouth of Sauron," Camille added, her voice edged with the flame of rage. "The prophecy shall see its fulfillment…we assure you of that! Now get your stinking little hide out of my sight before I decide to send Suzako after you right here and now!" Beneath her feet, the earth rumbled with a strange sound, as though the world had uttered a groan.
That was more than enough. The face of the Messenger was twisted with amazement and anger the likes of which Camille had never seen before. He strode forward, but when he met her gaze, it seemed like he quailed, and backed off. When he looked at Eli, his fear overtook his wrath completely. He gave a great cry, and turned, leaped upon his steed, and with his company galloped madly back to Cirith Gorgor. But as they went his soldiers blew their horns in signal long arranged, and the thunder of drums rolled up from all around them.
Camille flew into a panic as Orcs and Men came from all corners around them. Trapped!
* * *
"HIII-YA!!!!"
"AUGH!!!"
THUD!!!
Eli breathed hard as she whirled around, striking another Easterling with her katana. Damn it, they're coming faster than we can handle them!!! She took a momentary glance over her shoulder, and watched as Camille wrought havoc with her kodachi, the twin blades flashing and glinting in the murk that came from Mordor and that seemed to hang around it perpetually. Just above her, on the crest of the hill, floated the banner of the White Tree, and on the other there spread the banners of Rohan and Dol Amroth, the White Horse and the Silver Swan. Beside the banner of the White Tree stood Gandalf, his gray cloak now cast aside, and his clothes beamed white in the darkness, untouched by anything that Mordor could produce.
Knowing that she wouldn't be particularly useful in this fight down in the fields, Eli forced her way up to the top of the hill, towards Gandalf. She had to make a couple of stops along the way, most of them to take out several enemy soldiers and help a few comrades, but she made it to the top, albeit with more than a few wounds.
Gandalf smiled sadly at her. "I am afraid that this is how it is going to end, my dear: in chaos and death."
"Who said that it was going to end already?"
Eli looked up as Camille clambered towards them, and she looked like she had quite a few injuries herself.
"What do you mean by that?" Gandalf queried.
Camille grinned, her teeth flashing from her soot-darkened face. "Sauron hasn't got the Ring yet, thus Frodo and Sam are still out there. I don't know how the Messenger found the mail, the cloak and the sword, but at any rate, the Ring hasn't fallen in Sauron's hands. I wanted to tell you this a while ago, but looks like we just waltzed right into an ambush."
Suddenly, a sharp cry tore through the air, and Eli felt a familiar shuddering sensation in her body. Uh oh… She looked up, and frowned. "Nazgul…"
At the appearance of the Ringwraiths, the men of the Captains of the West began to fail in their hope. They became all the more desperate in their fight, driving the forces of Mordor back again, but being driven back themselves in a few moments.
That did it. Eli turned to Camille, and she read her best friend's gaze in an instant. There's no way we're going to fail in this battle! Even if it should take all the strength we have, we will make sure that Sauron falls and never rises again! She raised her hand to the sky, and shouted in a voice that seemed to carry over the din of the battle all the way to Barad-dur: "This is our final stand, Great Spirits of Middle-Earth! In this last hour, when the brave are separated from the cowardly, when the valiant rise above the weak, let thy light and power shine to be remembered through all the Ages! I summon thee now from the West, Byakko, White Tiger of the Winds!!!! And I summon thee now from the East, Seiryuu, Blue Dragon of the Waters!!!!! Show unto our enemies thy great and mighty powers! I, the Summoner of Wind and Water, call thee forth!!!!"
Her voice was quickly followed by Camille's, rising and rolling over the shouts and cries of war. "Oh Mighty Spirits of Middle-Earth, in this hour, when the fate of this world hangs in the balance, thy strength is called forth from the darkness of the Ages past to fulfill the ancient prophecy!!! May your strength drive evil out forever from this land that peace and prosperity may reign forevermore!!! May thy power be the beacon of hope for all those who fight to protect Middle-Earth and her peoples from the darkness of evil and dread!!! I summon thee from the North, Genbu, Green Serpent-Tortoise of the Earth!!!! And I summon thee from the South, Suzako, Red Phoenix of the Flame!!!!! I, the Summoner of Earth and Fire, call thee forth!!!!!!"
Everything seemed to happen all at once. Beneath Eli's feet, the earth trembled violently, and overhead, the storm clouds started to rumble darkly. A piercing wind from the West came through the fields, and seemed to refresh the men of the Captains of the West and bring new hope to their hearts.
But the sight that rose from the various directions caused fear in the hosts of Mordor. From the North there climbed the green serpent-tortoise, and the men from Rohan, recognizing it as the very one that had aided them in their fight for Helm's Deep, bellowed and cheered at its appearance. From the East, just behind Barad-dur, the figure of the blue dragon rose to the clouds, and when it roared, the thunder roared with it. From the South a melodious cry rent the air, and the crimson phoenix spread its wings over the field. From the West came the white tiger, and with it the winds blew, wild and stormy.
Eli concentrated, holding the spirits back. Not yet, not yet…
As if to his eyes some sudden vision had been given, Gandalf stirred; and he turned, looking back north where the skies were still pale and clear. Then he lifted up his hands and cried in a loud voice ringing above the din: "The Eagles are coming! The Eagles are coming!"
What?! Eli looked up, surprised by this sudden development. She remembered Bilbo's story, and she felt a strange sense of déjà vu. This is really weird…
But she wasn't one to complain. She watched as the Eagles bore down on the Nazgul from the high north winds they had ridden to get to Mordor in the swiftest possible way. However, Eli was surprised when the Nazgul suddenly cried out, and fled, turning towards Mordor, as if drawn there by an unseen call. Huh? What's going on? They couldn't have just decided to RUN at the sight of the Eagles, could they? I mean, I bet it takes more than that to send a Ringwraith running…
A cry rose from the Captains of the West as their hosts charged forward. Eli immediately forced herself to turn to the fight at hand, and realized that the hosts of Mordor had weakened slightly, their laughter disappeared, their hands shook, and their limbs were loosed. Out from the beleaguered hills knights of Gondor, Riders of Rohan, Dunedain of the North, close-serried companies, drove against their wavering foes, piercing the press with the thrust of bitter spears. It's like the power that was driving them suddenly disappeared…
But Gandalf lifted up his arms and called once more in a clear voice: "Stand, Men of the West! Stand and wait! This is the hour of doom."
Even while he spoke Eli already felt the shaking of the ground beneath her feet, and she knew that it had nothing to do with Genbu's presence. Camille wouldn't have let him do that…we're all waiting for the right time…and I'm sure she is too.
A dark shadow started rising from the fortress of Barad-dur, a great, black shape like flameless fire stretching out over the sky, heading towards them. And Eli knew that it was time.
"NOW!!!!!!!"
Her voice and Camille's blended into a loud, huge boom, and at that signal, with many sharp cries and roars, the Great Spirits of Middle-Earth sped from their positions towards the dark shadow. They clashed at the same time, and a brilliant explosion lit up the entire sky, a bright light that could be seen even in Lothlorien. Eli turned, shielding her eyes from the light, and concentrated with all her might, focusing all her power on the destruction of the shadow.
When the light at last faded, she lowered her arms, and looked out towards Barad-dur. Lo! The Towers of the Teeth swayed, tottered, and fell down; the mighty rampart crumbled; the Black Gate was hurled in ruin; and far away, the sound of a whistling, cleansing wind bore down from the West, brought there by Byakko, to cleanse Mordor of the stench and shadow of evil. The dark clouds were blown away, and the sky finally appeared, an endless sea of blue, through the smog of Mordor. And the hosts of Mordor were fleeing, running helter-skelter with no direction. The armies of the Captains of the West charged, chasing after their fleeing enemies.
The joy in Gandalf's voice was undeniable. "The reign of Sauron has ended." He turned to her, and smiled. "And a new Age of peace begins."
Eli smiled back, but felt her legs buckle beneath her. Her eyelids felt like they had lead weights attached to them, and she didn't have enough strength to fight the fatigue. It's over…it's all over…and we won.
And with that, she collapsed, losing awareness even before she hit the ground.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Woo-hoo, it's DONE does happy dance around laptop!!!! This chapter was probably the MOST difficult chapter I had to write, the Battle at Helm's Deep coming second in difficulty, followed by the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, and then followed by the Battle of the Havens of Pelargir. I have the funny feeling that this chapter wasn't as nice as I had hoped it would be, lacking in action and all that, but I wrote it the best way I could. ANYWAY, it seems that the War of the Ring has finally come to an end, and peace shall reign at last in Middle-Earth. But that does not bring an end (yet) to the story of those who were most closely involved in its start and culmination. The next chapter chronicles what happened at the end of the War of the Ring, especially where the Summoners are concerned. Read on, my dear friends, read on!!!