Part 16

Willow nervously looked at Buffy who nervously looked back. Sure they fought Hell goddesses and Masters and Mayors that wanted to ascend but this was the first war they were ever in. Willow looked back over the grassy plain with fear filled eyes and watched as the ten thousand Uruk-hai and Orcs stamped their spears and roared.

Sure it was a battle tactic to scare the enemy. Well it worked. She was truly scared but she was also determined to fight. Buffy reached over and took Willow's hand in comfort. If she was to die in this battle she was glad she was with Willow and not alone.

Buffy glanced at Gimli and smiled. He was hopping up and trying to see over the wall. A little lightness helped with the darkness of fear.

Legolas tried not to laugh at Gimli. He had chosen this spot for just this purpose. It helped both him and Gimli to relax before a battle if they teased each other.

"What is happening out there?" Gimli asked frustrated knowing the elf did this on purpose.

Legolas smirked as he answered without looking at Gimli, "Would you like a box or should I describe it to you?"

Before Gimli could retort to Legolas Aragorn raises his sword, "Show them no mercy for they will show you none."

Legolas glances over and sees Willow and Buffy's determined faces but they are also squeezing the other's hand. He silently leaves his spot on the wall and walks toward them. He gently lays a hand on both their shoulders.

Willow and Buffy both jump at the unexpected touch. "All will be well. I have seen Aragorn defeat even the greatest of odds."

Before Buffy or Willow can reply there is a mighty roar and Aragorn yells, "HOLD!"

"What happened?" They all turn back to the grassy plain and see the Uruk-hai begin to charge.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Buffy and Willow mumble over and over again as they watch the horde descend upon Helm's Deep.

Legolas spares them a glance to make sure they will be okay before notching is arrow and waiting for Aragorn's signal. He yells down the line, "Their armor is weak. Aim for the neck and under the arm."

Aragorn lowers his sword as he yells, "FIRE!"

Willow lets loose two arrows and sees that they struck home.

"Keep Firing!"

She reaches for more arrows when Buffy yells, "Ladders!"

Gimli smiles in anticipation and swings his axe, "Good."

The Uruk-hai set the ladders against the wall and two make it over the side. Gimli quickly dispatches them with his axe and yells over to Buffy, "That's two."

Not to be outdone by her new friend Buffy kicks an Orc and sends him flying back over the wall. She turns and with her sword swiftly beheads an Uruk-hai just coming over the wall.

"Back at ya!"

Willow's quiver is running low when she decides to scrap it and go for magic. Placing a couple of knives in her waistband in case the creatures get close and her magick isn't enough Willow draws on the energy of the Earth and calls on the element of fire.

Legolas glances back to make sure Willow and Buffy are holding their own and is surprised to see a small glowing object floating just above Willow's palm.

Buffy feels a warmth to her left and glances over to see Willow with a small fireball in the palm of her hand. She grins over at Willow and yells, "Hey you been practicing."

Willow grins back, "A little" then throws it at an Orc that is coming her way.

The Orc screams in pain as his shirt is engulfed in flames.

Out of the corner of his eye Aragorn sees a flame. Turning he sees an Orc writhing on the ground as his body becomes engulfed by fire. Curious he looks around and sees Willow with another small fireball on her palm. Understanding dawns as he watches her toss it toward an Uruk-hai.

Turning back to the battle Aragorn glances down and sees an Uruk-hai holding what looks like a torch running towards them.

He frantically calls over his shoulder, "Kill him, Kill him Legolas, Kill him."

Legolas quickly dispatches arrow after arrow. He watches in horror as the Uruk-hai keeps running even though he has been severely wounded.

The Uruk-hai throws the torch that also houses gunpowder toward the gate. A massive explosion hits tearing down part of the wall and taking some lives.

Theoden sees Saruman's army begin to crowd through the hole in the wall. "Brace the gate. Hold them back!"

Aragorn turns back to Gimli, Legolas, Buffy and Willow, "Prepare to charge." He turns to Haldir and the Elves, "Hado i philinn! Herio!" Hurl the arrows! Charge!

They all charge at the Uruk-hai. Legolas grabs a shield and stands on it as it glides down the stairs firing arrows as he approaches the Uruk-hai below. Buffy watches in awe, he is so going to show me that little trick if we get out of this.

She swiftly follows behind and sinuously avoids the swords and axes of the enemies while attacking and killing as she goes. 

Willow turns her attention to the gate and helping the Rohans keep the Uruk-hai from overrunning. Mumbling incantations she teleports some of the Orcs away. Moving stone with her mind she crushes some of the Uruk-hai as they try to enter Helm's Deep.

Theoden yells down at Aragron, "Pull back to the gate!"

Aragorn nods and yells to Haldir, "Na Barad! Na Barad! Haldir! Na Barad!" To the Keep! To the Keep, Haldir! To the Keep!

Haldir nods and tries to drag Gimli away.

"What are you doing?"

"To the Keep, Gimli." Legolas yells as he makes his way back.

Buffy comes to stand next to Haldir and while the Elf shoots his arrows Buffy swings her sword. Buffy narrowly avoids an arrow as she and Haldir make for the gate. She hears an soft oof behind her and turns to see the arrow embedded in Haldir and he falls.

"NO!" Dammit she may not like the Elf and he may be a pain in the ass but he was NOT gonna die.

She reaches down and with her Slayer strength hauls him up on her shoulder. Legolas sees Buffy carrying Haldir and comes to guard her back firing arrows at the enemy while she carries him inside the keep.

"Willow!"

Willow turns at the sound of Buffy's frantic cry and sees in horror that she is bloodstained. Rushing to her side she quickly sees that it wasn't her blood but Haldir's.

Aragorn had removed the arrow but the wound was still bleeding. Willow crouches down next to Haldir and reaches for Buffy's hand. With one hand in Buffy's and the other on Haldir's wound Willow uses the healing power of the Earth and the healing power of the Slayer to connect with Haldir.

Everyone but Buffy was surprised to see the wound slowly begin to close and the bleeding stop.

Willow dropped in exhaustion. She had used too much of her power.

Legolas gently picked her up and carried her deeper into the keep. Aragorn carried Haldir and gently lay him next to Willow.

~~~~

Theoden quickly approaches the warriors of Rohan issuing orders, "To the gate! Draw your swords!"

One of the warriors turns back, "We can't hold them much longer."

The army on the other side of the gate is using a battering ram to try to break it down.

Aragorn leaves Haldir and comes to stand by Theoden, "How long do you need?"

Looking around at the men and women who fought bravely he answers, "As long as you can give me."

"Buffy."

Buffy follows Aragorn as they leave through a side door. Aragorn peers around the corner and sees many Orcs trying to enter the gate. "There are many."

"Come on. We can take them."

Aragorn gives a small smile to Buffy. "It's a long way."

Buffy leans around Aragorn to judge the distance. "Pfft. That's a little jump.  Come on!"

He jumps the gap and joins her. They kill as many as they can until they hear Theoden yell down, "Buffy, Aragorn get out of there."

"Easier said than done." Buffy grumbles and kills another Orc.

"Aragorn"

Aragorn looks up to see Legolas throw down a rope. He grabs the dangling rope and throws his arm around Buffy. Legolas and Theoden begin to pull them up while the Elves rain arrows down on the Uruk-hai.

When they are safely over the wall Theoden approaches and lays a comforting hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "Come, to the keep!" Theoden leads them back inside. "The fortress is taken. I fear it is over."