CHAPTER 38
CROSSING THE FIELD OF DEATH
Perdhul paced back and forth about his post, his dark eyes never leaving the western forest. All the machines were loaded and tense; ready to fire at his command, as were the men who anxiously held the trigger mechanisms. The White Army's General had ordered the archers to stand in a horizontal line, in front of the catapults, and provided them with metal bowls on fire, which were placed in front of them. He ordered them to stand ready to set their arrows on fire and shoot the beast, hoping that when the moment should come, the blazing arrows would help, at least as a distraction to repel the dragon.
A forty men squadron arrived the post, returning from a mission they had completed out on the field. The squad official came to give his report to the General. - "The mission was successful, General, Sir. We positioned the lances in the indicated coordinates" - he said panting from exhaustion. He and the rest of the squad have had to drag the heavy shafts out to the open field, and laid them on a specific location, then they camouflaged them with dirt and ashes, and returned running to the post.
"Good." - said Perdhul without much emotion, his eyes still fixed on the west - "Go back to your original positions and stand ready."
The official saluted and went away, guiding the rest of the squad to their position in the infantry lines.
Perdhul's eyes darted to the already low sun in the horizon. Dusk was near, and still no sign from Legolas; he was beginning to worry about the outcome of that suicidal mission the elf had undertaken. What if he didn't come back? What would he do? He felt his pulse quickening at the prospect of Gondor's only hope lost, and prayed silently to the Valar to help him. Then, his eyes went back to the western forest, only to find what he had been waiting for so long.
From the southern boundary of the forest a blur of dark dust arose, contrasting with the auburn light of the descending sun. With his heart literally pounding against his throat, Perdhul narrowed his eyes to better distinguish what was getting out of the forest and coming his way so hastily. Then, a hoarse grunt escaped his lips as he recognized the group of army horses galloping madly across the field.
He turned to his men, and unable to utter words, he nodded emphatically, letting them now what was happening. The men swallowed hard and clutched the triggers, readying for the imminent order. Perdhul turned around and raised his right arm, his hand curled into a tight fist, signaling them to be ready and hold.
Then, the entire world seemed to gasp in horror as Smong soared up from the forest and launched to hunt the new quarries that had so gently offered themselves, much to the beast's delight.
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For the ones riding across the field, everything became a blur. The speed of the horses was vertiginous, and all they could see was the hazy, white shape of their beloved city ahead. At first they were silent, and limited themselves to hold on tightly to their horses; but then, as they felt the shadow of their doom upon their backs, they started crying out in sheer dismay.
Legolas looked over his shoulder to see the dragon flying frantically behind them, quickly closing the gap that separated it from the group. He sensed Eldarion's apprehension, as he felt the young prince pressing his face against his shoulder blade, and he wished he had the time to comfort the young man. He couldn't deny that he was fearful too; but he had lived through two ages, and had to face many horrors; he couldn't even imagine the dreadfulness this dragon could inflict upon a young man's heart.
Lowering his heels upon the stirrups, he straightened and looked back to the terrified men riding just behind them - "Stay together! Don't look back!" - he urged them, hoping his voice could counteract the fear they were feeling. But it was too much to ask to the divine mercies, and driven by despair, some of the men lost their desire to live and stayed behind. The dragon quickly dispatched them, blowing a column of fire upon their backs. The cries of agony filled the ears of those who still struggled for their lives, adding yet more to their anguish; but clinging to Legolas' words, they contained themselves from looking back and shut their eyes, while spurring their horses to go even faster.
Legolas cursed under his breath and looked ahead, calculating the distance left to cover; they were still far away from Perdhul's post, and so he could not help them thus far, they were defenseless, and subjected to the will of the dragon. Once again, he looked over his shoulder to see the dragon hot on their heels, readying to descend upon them and wreak havoc among the group. Knowing something had to be done, he commended himself to Eru and pulled the horse's reins to the left with all his might.
The mare turned at once, almost stumbling in the process, and the rest of the horses followed her lead, turning sharply to the left. This maneuver baffled the dragon, which tried to turn but nevertheless was delayed, giving the riders a slight lead.
The dragon thrashed about in mid air, and initiated the chase again, quickly reaching the ones escaping. Legolas turned around to see its enormous shadow hovering almost over them. Then, raging fire descended from above, starting the massacre.
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Up on the healing room, the royal couple watched the field silently; their entrails shrunk with concern. Aragorn leaned heavily on his wife's shoulder, struggling to keep his legs straight at the sight of the dragon chasing the helpless riders. His eyes weren't as keen as they once were, and so he could not discern the faces of the riders, all he knew was that those were sons of Gondor, and most likely his own child was among the group.
For the Queen it was different; she had fully recovered the sight of the elves; and she could see every detail of the events taking place in the field. Her breath caught in her throat as she recognized Legolas leading the group, and her heart seemed to skip a beat as he saw a young man held tightly to the elf's back.
But everything became sinister as she saw the dark shadow hovering over the group. She turned her face away, her heart torn with worry; but se couldn't look away for long, it was as if an invincible force drew her to watch closely. She silently prayed every prayer she knew; hoping the powers of Arda could hear her desperate pleas.
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Riders and horses fell limply to the ground, the intensity of the flames hindering even the time for a muffled last cry of agony. The horses riding ahead felt the intense heat on their bodies and ran even faster, reaching the limits of their own endurance, but the dragon was too swift, too clever, and too deadly. The distance that separated the riders from safety seemed vast to them; and yet for Smong's range, the field was his own personal game board.
One by one, the riders fell. Like leafs on an autumn storm they plummeted to the desolated ground, unable to fight back, unable to escape. So delighted was their executioner in doing so, that he failed to notice how close they were to the city; and so the deadly chase continued.
But suddenly, in an outburst of light and speed, the sky was in an instant covered in blazing arrows, all directed to the colossal target. The worn out riders couldn't restrain their shouts of victory as the blistering shafts soared above their heads, illuminating the darkened firmament. Confused by the hive of arrows, the dragon ceased the attacks on the riders and slowed down his pace, giving them chance to further approach the post of their salvation.
But the beast was hard to discourage; and knowing that arrows couldn't possibly cause damage, Smong launched forward, even more fervently than before; and guided by Sauron's voice, the beast went further ahead, aiming for the horseman's leader.
Legolas failed to notice the dragon's intentions, and before he knew, a ball of fire descended vertiginously towards him. He felt a warning deep inside his chest; the voice of Arwen Undomiel alerting him of the great hazard coming his way. He looked back and his vision was completely filled with the intense fire coming from above.
He pulled back the reins in his hands and his mount stumbled; riders and horse rolled over the flaming ground, stopping only feet away from the burning spot Smong had left in the middle of the field. Startled by the sudden outburst, the rest of the riders dispersed and kept on advancing, leaving their prince and the elven warrior they had put their hope on abandoned in the middle of the field.
Legolas gasped, trying to recover the air that was so violently expelled from his lungs on the impact; and straightened up, frantically looking for Eldarion. The prince was laid down only a few feet to his right, and was also struggling to recover from the collision. Legolas crawled to his side and helped him to turn around, while lifting his eyes to see the dragon turning around to finish what was started.
Despite his soreness and the profuse wounds all over his body, and impelled only by the instinct of survival and pure adrenalin, Legolas sprung up and took the prince by the collar of his armor, urging him to get up as well.
"Eldarion! Get up, get up NOW!"
Half by his own strength and half aided by Legolas insistent tugs, Eladarion stood up, still dazed by the impact he had suffered, and began running along with Legolas.
"Hurry up, Hurry up!" - He could hear Legolas' shouts, and knew that it was the moment to run with all his might; but his exhausted body wouldn't respond, and his strides were weak and hesitant.
Legolas noted how the young man was loosing his balance, and slid an arm around his torso. Eldarion regained his balance and continued running, but his condition was delaying them both and the dragon was getting nearer second by second.
Then, from among the scattered fires in the dark field a tall shape emerged; for after realizing what had happened, the brave and faithful rangers, Herodir and Halbarad II decided not to forsake those fallen on the field, and turning around, they galloped back to help their leader and the prince they had learned to respect. Only one thought ran through both their minds - "So much courage cannot be left behind" - and that thought along with their faithfulness was much more stronger than any fear.
Legolas blessed their valor with every praise he knew as he saw them boldly coming back to help them, for they were like a spark of light in the midst of unfathomable darkness. But then, he realized that they had only a horse, already ridden by two armored men. In his mind the decision was made; the horse would not be able to gallop with four men upon its back; three yes; but four....no, impossible.
He turned his face to look at the young man, running wearily by his side. He loved him, as if he was his own child, and this love prompted him to do the inconceivable. He pressed his hand against Eldarion's back and pushed forward with all his might, practically throwing the young man towards the approaching rangers; and he ceased running and halted in the middle of the field.
When Eldarion was just about to collide against their horse, Halbarad halted the horse and Herodir extended his hand forward and grasped the prince by his forearm, as he was about to stumble to the ground beneath the horse. Eldarion was pulled up on the mount, and he held on to Herodir's back for dear life.
Halbarad looked at Legolas, who was standing straight and still in front of them, and he urged him to hurry - "General, come!" - he said, gesturing with his hands. But Legolas didn't move. The elven warrior took off Elendil's helm, and looked back at the roughed ranger with cold and determined eyes.
Halbarad gasped in shock, as he understood what his general wanted. Only a glimpse in those eyes an he knew that Legolas wanted them to run, to go away, and that he intended to stay behind to distract the beast.
The ranger slowly moved his head from side to side, unable to accept what Legolas silently required from him, but Legolas' steely gaze urged him to leave, and let him understand that it was an order he had to obey. Struggling to hold back the tears welling in his eyes, Halbarad pulled the reins to turn around and spurred the horse towards Perdhul's post, while Herodir and Eldarion cried out and screamed to him in horror, seeing that they had abandoned Legolas. They tried to stop Halbarad: but the older ranger was determined to follow his general's desire, and he violently spurred the overloaded horse until they reached the safety of the post.
Alone, immobile and silent stood Legolas among the flames and smoke. His universe became silent as he looked up to the sky above him, and saw the myriads of blazing arrows crossing the reddish firmament like tiny rays of light. He smiled thankfully, believing that they looked like shooting stars, and found infinite beauty in the sight he beheld.
The sun was low on the horizon, and the shadow of the dragon lengthened until it covered Legolas, though the dragon wasn't yet over him. Legolas saw the silhouette of the immense shadow enveloping the earth around him and closed his eyes, preparing for impact or flames.
The smile never left his lips, and he stood straight and proud, thinking to himself that it was a good way of leaving the world; and so, peace overwhelmed him.
But neither impact nor flames ever touched him; and a new sound forced him to open his eyes. He did so, and looked up to the sky just in time to see the first of many waves of huge shafts from the ballistae and projectiles from the catapults, all covered with oil and set on fire; that passed with vertiginous speed, humming stridently over his head. He turned around to follow the trajectory of the missiles, and realized how close the dragon already was to him.
The beast screeched and soared up, trying to avoid the massive projectiles, but this time even its speed wasn't enough; and for everyone's delight, a heavy sphere covered with fire smashed against one the beast's appendages. Smong hauled horridly and turned around to get off range. The claw was burned and badly injured, but that only further enraged the beast, and flying around unevenly, it looked around furiously, seeking for a way to avenge the men's audacity.
The might of the projectile's explosion against the dragon was enough to knock Legolas to the ground, since he was so near; and as he fell with a loud thud, he could not repress a loud laughter upon realizing that despite everything, he was indeed alive and with no major harm.
He stood up with renovated strength, and while the heavy artillery continued flying over him, he placed Elendil's helm back upon his head, turned around and ran swiftly towards the city.
Soon enough, he was right in front of Perdhul's post, and as he emerged from a barrier of black smoke, he saw Eldarion running madly towards him, closely followed by Halbarad, Herodir and other soldiers, who tried to prevent the prince from going to rescue him. Eldarion cried out upon seeing Legolas alive, and flung himself to him in a fierce and joyous embrace that sent them both to the ground.
Pinned to the ground underneath the prince, Legolas laughed merrily, while Eldarion muffled his sobs against Legolas' chest, and soaked him with his tears of joy. - "I thought....I thought...oh! Thank you, thank you!" - babbled the prince, unable to contain his emotions.
Legolas patted his back - "There, there, child; hush now, the soldiers are already staring at us" - he said, before bursting into laughter again. Eldarion straightened his head and looked back at the soldiers; then, he started laughing too, while Halbarad and Herodir helped them both to stand.
The rangers bowed to Legolas - "It is good too see you Sire" - said Herodir, barely holding in his emotions. Legolas noted how Halbarad looked away and so, he took him by the shoulders, forcing him to look at his face.
"Be sure of this, noble Halbarad, that you have done well in obeying my wishes. Your decision was right, and you should not be ashamed, but proud of what you did" - Legolas told the ranger emphatically, while gathering him in a tight embrace. - "Thank you, General" - said Halbarad awkwardly, not being used to such displays of affection from his stern commander.
The group walked together to where Perdhul waited; but as they were about to greet the White Army's general, a loud rumble was heard north from there, and they all watched in shock as the dragon crashed against the much- loved and symbolic tower of Echtelion, causing the pearly structure to collapse completely. The beast had gotten its revenge.
Legolas felt all his good judgment being overthrown with rage, as he saw the beast flying proudly out of the range of the artillery and attacking the unprotected northern portion of the city. He turned around to question Perdhul. - "General! Did you follow my orders concerning the ballistae lances?"
Perdhul nodded - "Indeed Lord, everything is positioned as you ordered" - he said, pointing to where the lances were placed.
"Good! Then let us bring down that beast for once and for all" - Legolas said, while climbing to stand on the tallest ballista. He raised his voice to be heard over the sound of the continuously shooting machines.
"Sons of Gondor! I made a promise to all of you, and I believe it is time to honor it." - his mighty voice and words drew the attention of all the soldiers, so he continued - "I promised you that together we would bring that demon down before nightfall" - he said, looking up to the sun sinking behind the mountains in the west. - "My time to fulfill this promise is running short, so I need your help if I want to maintain my honor."
A shout came from the multitude - "What do you need Lord?"
Legolas took a deep breath - "I need thirty men who are strong, brave, and willing to die"
Herodir and Halbarad where the first to step forward, and Legolas acknowledged their volunteering. Then, as Eldarion came to stand beside the brave rangers, Legolas jumped from the high ballista.
"No, young prince, you are not coming to this trip" - he told Eldarion, motioning him to go back where a surgeon had been tending his wounds. But Eldarion refused to move from his stance - "You cannot stop me Legolas; whatever you are going to do, and wherever you are going, I am coming with you."
Legolas ignored the resolution in the prince's voice - "Listen, young man, I went through enough difficulty just to bring you back to the city alive, I......." - but he was interrupted by a very angry prince of Gondor.
"No! You listen to me! You cannot ask me to stay here doing nothing while you, and my brothers in arms go to risk your lives again for the sake of MY inheritance. In the absence of my father I am the ruler of this city, and my wish and command is to fight until the end, whether you approve or not!"
Legolas held his gaze to the prince, his jaw clenched, surprised as he was by Eldarion's outburst - "Very well, if you want to fight then fight you will" - he said through gritted teeth, and Eldarion had to lower his head, unable to stand the elf's cold gaze. But then, Legolas placed a hand upon the prince's shoulder, and he lifted his face too see that the elf's features had softened - "I will be honored to fight by your side, son" - Legolas whispered to him.
After this, many other courageous soldiers volunteered for the still unknown mission, and the group was quickly complete; and thirty of the best remaining horses were chosen to carry them. A tall, rectangular shield was given to each one of them.
The group got up on their mounts and made their way through the field; nobody knew what Legolas intended to do, but they limited themselves to trust him. They advanced until reaching the mark indicated by Perdhul, where they dismounted and checked the enormous shafts spread on the ground. Legolas ordered them to send all the horses away, being that they weren't going to need them again; and so the soldiers unloaded everything from their mounts and slapped their rumps, urging them to go back to the city.
"Now what general?" - asked Herodir.
Legolas turned his head to look at the dragon, who was more that pleased destroying towers and walls in the northern side of Minas Tirith, oblivious to the movement taking place in the desolated field. - "Now we defy that beast, and challenge it to come."
He closed his fingers around a horn that hung from his neck and drew it to his lips, blowing vigorously three times. The clear and deep sound filled the air; it was Gondor's traditional call for battle, and the hairs in the back of every soldier and citizen's neck stood up in a shudder of emotion.
The dragon jerked its head and looked from side to side, searching for the source of the daring challenge. Then, the beast spotted the character dressed in the dark armor, the same one who had derided him so many times in one single day. With the huge nostrils flaring in rage, the dragon immediately answered to the challenge, and launched in persecution of the seemingly defenseless group standing in the middle of the field, out of the range of the heavy artillery; it was a temptation too big to refuse.
Legolas sneered triumphantly - "Stupid monster" - he said - "So predictable and easy to incite; now we'll see if you are as smart as you are big."
Then, he started shouting orders to the men beside him - "Here comes" - he said - "Team up in pairs, and pick a lance for each team; you must be ready to raise the lance vertically at my command, and support its rear end against the ground. But remember, only when I give the order. Understood?"
"Yes sir!"
"Now, stand straight and proud, let that demon know that we are not afraid."
The teams were quickly formed; Legolas paired with Eldarion, and Halbarad with Herodir. The group stood very close to each other, holding the shields against their chest and concealing with their bodies the lances laid on the ground. The dragon started its descent to the field.
Legolas watched everyone of its movements closely, and realized it wasn't coming low enough - "At my command, throw yourselves to the ground and cover your bodies with the shields, we won't be able to reach it this time."
The men could feel their hearts beating wildly inside their chest, as they saw the massive monster coming nearer, and nearer; until they could see its amber eyes glistening with hatred. They shut their eyes upon hearing the sound of the mighty wings hissing so near to them
WHOOOSH, WHOOOOSH
Legolas locked his eyes with the dragon's in a defying stare; while Smong rushed over the group. Then, the elf gave the order - "Down!"
Most of the men followed his word and dropped to the ground, protecting their bodies from the flames with the large shields. But some were petrified with fear, and could not react on time; the flames reached them, and the might of the dragon's wings knocked the charred bodies several yards away from the group.
Once the dragon passed, the remaining soldiers tossed the practically incandescent shields to a side. The armors emanated the clear smoke typical of overheated metal, but they where alive, and ready for another round. Legolas stood back up, followed by the rest of the group, and once again blew the horn three times.
They all watched as the dragon traced a wide curve in the air, assuming position to charge again. Then, it started its descent; this time, Smong was coming lower, aiming to do more harm.
Sauron sensed it was all a setup, and tried to prevent the dragon; but for Smong it had become personal, so it chose to ignore the Maiar's council, and descended even further, and closer to the ground.
Legolas saw it was time - "Get a grip of your lances!" - he said, bending to grasp the shaft at his feet, followed by his partner Eldarion, and the rest of the duos. - "Ready!"
They could already see the yellow fangs, sticking out of the wide-open jaws, but Legolas ordered them to wait yet more.
"Hold!"
They could feel the warm, fetid breath of the beast upon their faces...
"HOLD!"
They closed their eyes, readying for impact....
"NOW!"
With the supernatural strength that only adrenalin provides, the remaining pairs raised the lances upright, pressing the bases against the ground, and pointing the sharp tips towards the dragon. For Smong it was too late, for its own speed and weight hindered any attempt to avoid the enormous thorns.
The dragon rammed raucously against the pointy shafts at full speed, bawling and squealing in horror and disbelief. The tight formation of soldiers holding the lances was brutally shattered; the wooden shafts cracked into sharp and hazardous splinters that flew through the field at deadly speed; and the bodies of the soldiers were violently hurled yards away from the site.
But everything was worth the sacrifice, for the immense mass that was the dragon, rolled boisterously across the field until it crashed against the city's wall, right beneath the Healing rooms.
The entire structure shook from the impact, and the Royal couple fell on the floor from the violence of the quake. Helped by the subjects on the room, Aragorn and Arwen stood up again and leaned out of the window to see the beast flailing and hollering against the wall below them. The perilous plan succeeded, and even though the beast was still alive, it could not fly, for the lances had pierced and punctured the membranes of its wings.
The army and citizens began shouting victory, and some of them even grasped their swords and ran towards the fallen beast, aiming to slay it. But the King and Queen of Gondor did not cheer or celebrate; nor did their eyes heed the beast thrashing below them; now their only concern were the ones who carried out the feat of bringing down the invincible beast. Aragorn and Arwen felt an agonizing pain in their hearts as they saw the limp bodies of the heroes scattered in the dark field.
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Yay! I finally finished. I'm sorry it took me so long to update; I've been quite busy lately. Anyhow, hope you enjoyed it.
Thank you all for your great reviews! And thanks for cheering me up when I was down.
Precious Jewelle: Thanks for the hug and the advice you gave me, it really helped. I finally visited your website, and left you a little comment in the guest book. Go check it out!
Next Chapter soon everybody, stay tuned.
Elwe.
CROSSING THE FIELD OF DEATH
Perdhul paced back and forth about his post, his dark eyes never leaving the western forest. All the machines were loaded and tense; ready to fire at his command, as were the men who anxiously held the trigger mechanisms. The White Army's General had ordered the archers to stand in a horizontal line, in front of the catapults, and provided them with metal bowls on fire, which were placed in front of them. He ordered them to stand ready to set their arrows on fire and shoot the beast, hoping that when the moment should come, the blazing arrows would help, at least as a distraction to repel the dragon.
A forty men squadron arrived the post, returning from a mission they had completed out on the field. The squad official came to give his report to the General. - "The mission was successful, General, Sir. We positioned the lances in the indicated coordinates" - he said panting from exhaustion. He and the rest of the squad have had to drag the heavy shafts out to the open field, and laid them on a specific location, then they camouflaged them with dirt and ashes, and returned running to the post.
"Good." - said Perdhul without much emotion, his eyes still fixed on the west - "Go back to your original positions and stand ready."
The official saluted and went away, guiding the rest of the squad to their position in the infantry lines.
Perdhul's eyes darted to the already low sun in the horizon. Dusk was near, and still no sign from Legolas; he was beginning to worry about the outcome of that suicidal mission the elf had undertaken. What if he didn't come back? What would he do? He felt his pulse quickening at the prospect of Gondor's only hope lost, and prayed silently to the Valar to help him. Then, his eyes went back to the western forest, only to find what he had been waiting for so long.
From the southern boundary of the forest a blur of dark dust arose, contrasting with the auburn light of the descending sun. With his heart literally pounding against his throat, Perdhul narrowed his eyes to better distinguish what was getting out of the forest and coming his way so hastily. Then, a hoarse grunt escaped his lips as he recognized the group of army horses galloping madly across the field.
He turned to his men, and unable to utter words, he nodded emphatically, letting them now what was happening. The men swallowed hard and clutched the triggers, readying for the imminent order. Perdhul turned around and raised his right arm, his hand curled into a tight fist, signaling them to be ready and hold.
Then, the entire world seemed to gasp in horror as Smong soared up from the forest and launched to hunt the new quarries that had so gently offered themselves, much to the beast's delight.
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For the ones riding across the field, everything became a blur. The speed of the horses was vertiginous, and all they could see was the hazy, white shape of their beloved city ahead. At first they were silent, and limited themselves to hold on tightly to their horses; but then, as they felt the shadow of their doom upon their backs, they started crying out in sheer dismay.
Legolas looked over his shoulder to see the dragon flying frantically behind them, quickly closing the gap that separated it from the group. He sensed Eldarion's apprehension, as he felt the young prince pressing his face against his shoulder blade, and he wished he had the time to comfort the young man. He couldn't deny that he was fearful too; but he had lived through two ages, and had to face many horrors; he couldn't even imagine the dreadfulness this dragon could inflict upon a young man's heart.
Lowering his heels upon the stirrups, he straightened and looked back to the terrified men riding just behind them - "Stay together! Don't look back!" - he urged them, hoping his voice could counteract the fear they were feeling. But it was too much to ask to the divine mercies, and driven by despair, some of the men lost their desire to live and stayed behind. The dragon quickly dispatched them, blowing a column of fire upon their backs. The cries of agony filled the ears of those who still struggled for their lives, adding yet more to their anguish; but clinging to Legolas' words, they contained themselves from looking back and shut their eyes, while spurring their horses to go even faster.
Legolas cursed under his breath and looked ahead, calculating the distance left to cover; they were still far away from Perdhul's post, and so he could not help them thus far, they were defenseless, and subjected to the will of the dragon. Once again, he looked over his shoulder to see the dragon hot on their heels, readying to descend upon them and wreak havoc among the group. Knowing something had to be done, he commended himself to Eru and pulled the horse's reins to the left with all his might.
The mare turned at once, almost stumbling in the process, and the rest of the horses followed her lead, turning sharply to the left. This maneuver baffled the dragon, which tried to turn but nevertheless was delayed, giving the riders a slight lead.
The dragon thrashed about in mid air, and initiated the chase again, quickly reaching the ones escaping. Legolas turned around to see its enormous shadow hovering almost over them. Then, raging fire descended from above, starting the massacre.
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Up on the healing room, the royal couple watched the field silently; their entrails shrunk with concern. Aragorn leaned heavily on his wife's shoulder, struggling to keep his legs straight at the sight of the dragon chasing the helpless riders. His eyes weren't as keen as they once were, and so he could not discern the faces of the riders, all he knew was that those were sons of Gondor, and most likely his own child was among the group.
For the Queen it was different; she had fully recovered the sight of the elves; and she could see every detail of the events taking place in the field. Her breath caught in her throat as she recognized Legolas leading the group, and her heart seemed to skip a beat as he saw a young man held tightly to the elf's back.
But everything became sinister as she saw the dark shadow hovering over the group. She turned her face away, her heart torn with worry; but se couldn't look away for long, it was as if an invincible force drew her to watch closely. She silently prayed every prayer she knew; hoping the powers of Arda could hear her desperate pleas.
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Riders and horses fell limply to the ground, the intensity of the flames hindering even the time for a muffled last cry of agony. The horses riding ahead felt the intense heat on their bodies and ran even faster, reaching the limits of their own endurance, but the dragon was too swift, too clever, and too deadly. The distance that separated the riders from safety seemed vast to them; and yet for Smong's range, the field was his own personal game board.
One by one, the riders fell. Like leafs on an autumn storm they plummeted to the desolated ground, unable to fight back, unable to escape. So delighted was their executioner in doing so, that he failed to notice how close they were to the city; and so the deadly chase continued.
But suddenly, in an outburst of light and speed, the sky was in an instant covered in blazing arrows, all directed to the colossal target. The worn out riders couldn't restrain their shouts of victory as the blistering shafts soared above their heads, illuminating the darkened firmament. Confused by the hive of arrows, the dragon ceased the attacks on the riders and slowed down his pace, giving them chance to further approach the post of their salvation.
But the beast was hard to discourage; and knowing that arrows couldn't possibly cause damage, Smong launched forward, even more fervently than before; and guided by Sauron's voice, the beast went further ahead, aiming for the horseman's leader.
Legolas failed to notice the dragon's intentions, and before he knew, a ball of fire descended vertiginously towards him. He felt a warning deep inside his chest; the voice of Arwen Undomiel alerting him of the great hazard coming his way. He looked back and his vision was completely filled with the intense fire coming from above.
He pulled back the reins in his hands and his mount stumbled; riders and horse rolled over the flaming ground, stopping only feet away from the burning spot Smong had left in the middle of the field. Startled by the sudden outburst, the rest of the riders dispersed and kept on advancing, leaving their prince and the elven warrior they had put their hope on abandoned in the middle of the field.
Legolas gasped, trying to recover the air that was so violently expelled from his lungs on the impact; and straightened up, frantically looking for Eldarion. The prince was laid down only a few feet to his right, and was also struggling to recover from the collision. Legolas crawled to his side and helped him to turn around, while lifting his eyes to see the dragon turning around to finish what was started.
Despite his soreness and the profuse wounds all over his body, and impelled only by the instinct of survival and pure adrenalin, Legolas sprung up and took the prince by the collar of his armor, urging him to get up as well.
"Eldarion! Get up, get up NOW!"
Half by his own strength and half aided by Legolas insistent tugs, Eladarion stood up, still dazed by the impact he had suffered, and began running along with Legolas.
"Hurry up, Hurry up!" - He could hear Legolas' shouts, and knew that it was the moment to run with all his might; but his exhausted body wouldn't respond, and his strides were weak and hesitant.
Legolas noted how the young man was loosing his balance, and slid an arm around his torso. Eldarion regained his balance and continued running, but his condition was delaying them both and the dragon was getting nearer second by second.
Then, from among the scattered fires in the dark field a tall shape emerged; for after realizing what had happened, the brave and faithful rangers, Herodir and Halbarad II decided not to forsake those fallen on the field, and turning around, they galloped back to help their leader and the prince they had learned to respect. Only one thought ran through both their minds - "So much courage cannot be left behind" - and that thought along with their faithfulness was much more stronger than any fear.
Legolas blessed their valor with every praise he knew as he saw them boldly coming back to help them, for they were like a spark of light in the midst of unfathomable darkness. But then, he realized that they had only a horse, already ridden by two armored men. In his mind the decision was made; the horse would not be able to gallop with four men upon its back; three yes; but four....no, impossible.
He turned his face to look at the young man, running wearily by his side. He loved him, as if he was his own child, and this love prompted him to do the inconceivable. He pressed his hand against Eldarion's back and pushed forward with all his might, practically throwing the young man towards the approaching rangers; and he ceased running and halted in the middle of the field.
When Eldarion was just about to collide against their horse, Halbarad halted the horse and Herodir extended his hand forward and grasped the prince by his forearm, as he was about to stumble to the ground beneath the horse. Eldarion was pulled up on the mount, and he held on to Herodir's back for dear life.
Halbarad looked at Legolas, who was standing straight and still in front of them, and he urged him to hurry - "General, come!" - he said, gesturing with his hands. But Legolas didn't move. The elven warrior took off Elendil's helm, and looked back at the roughed ranger with cold and determined eyes.
Halbarad gasped in shock, as he understood what his general wanted. Only a glimpse in those eyes an he knew that Legolas wanted them to run, to go away, and that he intended to stay behind to distract the beast.
The ranger slowly moved his head from side to side, unable to accept what Legolas silently required from him, but Legolas' steely gaze urged him to leave, and let him understand that it was an order he had to obey. Struggling to hold back the tears welling in his eyes, Halbarad pulled the reins to turn around and spurred the horse towards Perdhul's post, while Herodir and Eldarion cried out and screamed to him in horror, seeing that they had abandoned Legolas. They tried to stop Halbarad: but the older ranger was determined to follow his general's desire, and he violently spurred the overloaded horse until they reached the safety of the post.
Alone, immobile and silent stood Legolas among the flames and smoke. His universe became silent as he looked up to the sky above him, and saw the myriads of blazing arrows crossing the reddish firmament like tiny rays of light. He smiled thankfully, believing that they looked like shooting stars, and found infinite beauty in the sight he beheld.
The sun was low on the horizon, and the shadow of the dragon lengthened until it covered Legolas, though the dragon wasn't yet over him. Legolas saw the silhouette of the immense shadow enveloping the earth around him and closed his eyes, preparing for impact or flames.
The smile never left his lips, and he stood straight and proud, thinking to himself that it was a good way of leaving the world; and so, peace overwhelmed him.
But neither impact nor flames ever touched him; and a new sound forced him to open his eyes. He did so, and looked up to the sky just in time to see the first of many waves of huge shafts from the ballistae and projectiles from the catapults, all covered with oil and set on fire; that passed with vertiginous speed, humming stridently over his head. He turned around to follow the trajectory of the missiles, and realized how close the dragon already was to him.
The beast screeched and soared up, trying to avoid the massive projectiles, but this time even its speed wasn't enough; and for everyone's delight, a heavy sphere covered with fire smashed against one the beast's appendages. Smong hauled horridly and turned around to get off range. The claw was burned and badly injured, but that only further enraged the beast, and flying around unevenly, it looked around furiously, seeking for a way to avenge the men's audacity.
The might of the projectile's explosion against the dragon was enough to knock Legolas to the ground, since he was so near; and as he fell with a loud thud, he could not repress a loud laughter upon realizing that despite everything, he was indeed alive and with no major harm.
He stood up with renovated strength, and while the heavy artillery continued flying over him, he placed Elendil's helm back upon his head, turned around and ran swiftly towards the city.
Soon enough, he was right in front of Perdhul's post, and as he emerged from a barrier of black smoke, he saw Eldarion running madly towards him, closely followed by Halbarad, Herodir and other soldiers, who tried to prevent the prince from going to rescue him. Eldarion cried out upon seeing Legolas alive, and flung himself to him in a fierce and joyous embrace that sent them both to the ground.
Pinned to the ground underneath the prince, Legolas laughed merrily, while Eldarion muffled his sobs against Legolas' chest, and soaked him with his tears of joy. - "I thought....I thought...oh! Thank you, thank you!" - babbled the prince, unable to contain his emotions.
Legolas patted his back - "There, there, child; hush now, the soldiers are already staring at us" - he said, before bursting into laughter again. Eldarion straightened his head and looked back at the soldiers; then, he started laughing too, while Halbarad and Herodir helped them both to stand.
The rangers bowed to Legolas - "It is good too see you Sire" - said Herodir, barely holding in his emotions. Legolas noted how Halbarad looked away and so, he took him by the shoulders, forcing him to look at his face.
"Be sure of this, noble Halbarad, that you have done well in obeying my wishes. Your decision was right, and you should not be ashamed, but proud of what you did" - Legolas told the ranger emphatically, while gathering him in a tight embrace. - "Thank you, General" - said Halbarad awkwardly, not being used to such displays of affection from his stern commander.
The group walked together to where Perdhul waited; but as they were about to greet the White Army's general, a loud rumble was heard north from there, and they all watched in shock as the dragon crashed against the much- loved and symbolic tower of Echtelion, causing the pearly structure to collapse completely. The beast had gotten its revenge.
Legolas felt all his good judgment being overthrown with rage, as he saw the beast flying proudly out of the range of the artillery and attacking the unprotected northern portion of the city. He turned around to question Perdhul. - "General! Did you follow my orders concerning the ballistae lances?"
Perdhul nodded - "Indeed Lord, everything is positioned as you ordered" - he said, pointing to where the lances were placed.
"Good! Then let us bring down that beast for once and for all" - Legolas said, while climbing to stand on the tallest ballista. He raised his voice to be heard over the sound of the continuously shooting machines.
"Sons of Gondor! I made a promise to all of you, and I believe it is time to honor it." - his mighty voice and words drew the attention of all the soldiers, so he continued - "I promised you that together we would bring that demon down before nightfall" - he said, looking up to the sun sinking behind the mountains in the west. - "My time to fulfill this promise is running short, so I need your help if I want to maintain my honor."
A shout came from the multitude - "What do you need Lord?"
Legolas took a deep breath - "I need thirty men who are strong, brave, and willing to die"
Herodir and Halbarad where the first to step forward, and Legolas acknowledged their volunteering. Then, as Eldarion came to stand beside the brave rangers, Legolas jumped from the high ballista.
"No, young prince, you are not coming to this trip" - he told Eldarion, motioning him to go back where a surgeon had been tending his wounds. But Eldarion refused to move from his stance - "You cannot stop me Legolas; whatever you are going to do, and wherever you are going, I am coming with you."
Legolas ignored the resolution in the prince's voice - "Listen, young man, I went through enough difficulty just to bring you back to the city alive, I......." - but he was interrupted by a very angry prince of Gondor.
"No! You listen to me! You cannot ask me to stay here doing nothing while you, and my brothers in arms go to risk your lives again for the sake of MY inheritance. In the absence of my father I am the ruler of this city, and my wish and command is to fight until the end, whether you approve or not!"
Legolas held his gaze to the prince, his jaw clenched, surprised as he was by Eldarion's outburst - "Very well, if you want to fight then fight you will" - he said through gritted teeth, and Eldarion had to lower his head, unable to stand the elf's cold gaze. But then, Legolas placed a hand upon the prince's shoulder, and he lifted his face too see that the elf's features had softened - "I will be honored to fight by your side, son" - Legolas whispered to him.
After this, many other courageous soldiers volunteered for the still unknown mission, and the group was quickly complete; and thirty of the best remaining horses were chosen to carry them. A tall, rectangular shield was given to each one of them.
The group got up on their mounts and made their way through the field; nobody knew what Legolas intended to do, but they limited themselves to trust him. They advanced until reaching the mark indicated by Perdhul, where they dismounted and checked the enormous shafts spread on the ground. Legolas ordered them to send all the horses away, being that they weren't going to need them again; and so the soldiers unloaded everything from their mounts and slapped their rumps, urging them to go back to the city.
"Now what general?" - asked Herodir.
Legolas turned his head to look at the dragon, who was more that pleased destroying towers and walls in the northern side of Minas Tirith, oblivious to the movement taking place in the desolated field. - "Now we defy that beast, and challenge it to come."
He closed his fingers around a horn that hung from his neck and drew it to his lips, blowing vigorously three times. The clear and deep sound filled the air; it was Gondor's traditional call for battle, and the hairs in the back of every soldier and citizen's neck stood up in a shudder of emotion.
The dragon jerked its head and looked from side to side, searching for the source of the daring challenge. Then, the beast spotted the character dressed in the dark armor, the same one who had derided him so many times in one single day. With the huge nostrils flaring in rage, the dragon immediately answered to the challenge, and launched in persecution of the seemingly defenseless group standing in the middle of the field, out of the range of the heavy artillery; it was a temptation too big to refuse.
Legolas sneered triumphantly - "Stupid monster" - he said - "So predictable and easy to incite; now we'll see if you are as smart as you are big."
Then, he started shouting orders to the men beside him - "Here comes" - he said - "Team up in pairs, and pick a lance for each team; you must be ready to raise the lance vertically at my command, and support its rear end against the ground. But remember, only when I give the order. Understood?"
"Yes sir!"
"Now, stand straight and proud, let that demon know that we are not afraid."
The teams were quickly formed; Legolas paired with Eldarion, and Halbarad with Herodir. The group stood very close to each other, holding the shields against their chest and concealing with their bodies the lances laid on the ground. The dragon started its descent to the field.
Legolas watched everyone of its movements closely, and realized it wasn't coming low enough - "At my command, throw yourselves to the ground and cover your bodies with the shields, we won't be able to reach it this time."
The men could feel their hearts beating wildly inside their chest, as they saw the massive monster coming nearer, and nearer; until they could see its amber eyes glistening with hatred. They shut their eyes upon hearing the sound of the mighty wings hissing so near to them
WHOOOSH, WHOOOOSH
Legolas locked his eyes with the dragon's in a defying stare; while Smong rushed over the group. Then, the elf gave the order - "Down!"
Most of the men followed his word and dropped to the ground, protecting their bodies from the flames with the large shields. But some were petrified with fear, and could not react on time; the flames reached them, and the might of the dragon's wings knocked the charred bodies several yards away from the group.
Once the dragon passed, the remaining soldiers tossed the practically incandescent shields to a side. The armors emanated the clear smoke typical of overheated metal, but they where alive, and ready for another round. Legolas stood back up, followed by the rest of the group, and once again blew the horn three times.
They all watched as the dragon traced a wide curve in the air, assuming position to charge again. Then, it started its descent; this time, Smong was coming lower, aiming to do more harm.
Sauron sensed it was all a setup, and tried to prevent the dragon; but for Smong it had become personal, so it chose to ignore the Maiar's council, and descended even further, and closer to the ground.
Legolas saw it was time - "Get a grip of your lances!" - he said, bending to grasp the shaft at his feet, followed by his partner Eldarion, and the rest of the duos. - "Ready!"
They could already see the yellow fangs, sticking out of the wide-open jaws, but Legolas ordered them to wait yet more.
"Hold!"
They could feel the warm, fetid breath of the beast upon their faces...
"HOLD!"
They closed their eyes, readying for impact....
"NOW!"
With the supernatural strength that only adrenalin provides, the remaining pairs raised the lances upright, pressing the bases against the ground, and pointing the sharp tips towards the dragon. For Smong it was too late, for its own speed and weight hindered any attempt to avoid the enormous thorns.
The dragon rammed raucously against the pointy shafts at full speed, bawling and squealing in horror and disbelief. The tight formation of soldiers holding the lances was brutally shattered; the wooden shafts cracked into sharp and hazardous splinters that flew through the field at deadly speed; and the bodies of the soldiers were violently hurled yards away from the site.
But everything was worth the sacrifice, for the immense mass that was the dragon, rolled boisterously across the field until it crashed against the city's wall, right beneath the Healing rooms.
The entire structure shook from the impact, and the Royal couple fell on the floor from the violence of the quake. Helped by the subjects on the room, Aragorn and Arwen stood up again and leaned out of the window to see the beast flailing and hollering against the wall below them. The perilous plan succeeded, and even though the beast was still alive, it could not fly, for the lances had pierced and punctured the membranes of its wings.
The army and citizens began shouting victory, and some of them even grasped their swords and ran towards the fallen beast, aiming to slay it. But the King and Queen of Gondor did not cheer or celebrate; nor did their eyes heed the beast thrashing below them; now their only concern were the ones who carried out the feat of bringing down the invincible beast. Aragorn and Arwen felt an agonizing pain in their hearts as they saw the limp bodies of the heroes scattered in the dark field.
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Yay! I finally finished. I'm sorry it took me so long to update; I've been quite busy lately. Anyhow, hope you enjoyed it.
Thank you all for your great reviews! And thanks for cheering me up when I was down.
Precious Jewelle: Thanks for the hug and the advice you gave me, it really helped. I finally visited your website, and left you a little comment in the guest book. Go check it out!
Next Chapter soon everybody, stay tuned.
Elwe.