Chapter 20: True Power of Love
"STOP!" Aubrey screamed from her viewpoint. The others joined Aubrey out on the long landing that held them above the pit. The black beam stopped and Carond looked at the amulet with surprise as if he thought it would do more. He shook the jewel to get it to start again and reminded Aubrey of a man trying to get his control to work for their television. He looked over at the platform and noticed Aubrey standing with the others. Aubrey turned to the others, "I have to get it back. If he throws it into the pit, all hell will break loose . . . literally."
Philon grabs the bow off Aubrey's back and strung an arrow.
"Philon, what are you doing?" Aubrey asked looking at him.
"Getting the amulet out of his hands."
"It will fall into the pit," she said grasping his hands.
He turned to face her, "Not if you move fast enough."
Aubrey got the point and took off running toward the platform. Philon started to focus on Carond's hands and the position of the amulet. Aubrey's legs burned with the pain of both the flames and the pain of the torture she had already gone through. She pushed herself hard, as she looked behind her every once in a while to check how far Philon was to shooting. Aubrey was glad he was going to take the shot. He had far more training then she had and probably had a better chance of making the shot.
Aubrey reached the platform below Carond and watched him from beneath the boards. She saw Carond start to smirk at what he considered a lame attempt by the group for the elf boy to shoot him. He held the jewel toward the group and Aubrey's eyes grew wide open, 'No!'
Carond held the jewel tighter and started yet again to shake the amulet in his hands, pushing the item further toward the group, "What is wrong with this? It was following my thoughts before."
Aubrey thought for a second and then remembered back in the torture chamber when she wanted out so badly and it followed her thoughts and got the orc away from her. When she was crawling away from the room and was caught she wanted whatever was stuck to tear so she could just get away. Then when she stepped out on the platform she yelled stop and the black beam stopped radiating into the pool of magma. The amulet was still obeying her over another that holds it.
She heard the sound of the arrow being released from the bow and looked up wondering how she could have that good of hearing. The arrow caught speed as it flowed through the hot air above the fires below. The arrow hit the amulet right on and it jumped out of Carond's hands. Aubrey jumped up and caught the jewel in her hands, "Got it!"
On the other platform, the group patted Philon on the back.
"Good shot," Drogo commented looking for Aubrey.
"What are you talking about?" Philon looked at him, "I missed Carond completely."
They both looked at each other and let sly smiles spread on their faces. Drogo looked back over the other platforms and saw Aubrey starting to run toward them again with something clung tightly in her hand. Right behind her was Carond of course, trying to catch up and have another opportunity to capture the jewel once again.
Drogo watched from far off, ready to go to her rescue if she needed it. Philon strung another arrow ready to fire at Carond if he tried anything, "Say the word Drogo and I'll let it fly."
Before Drogo said the sweet words that were at the tip of his tongue orc arrows began to shower upon them. They looked up and saw the last of the orcs showering the arrows upon the small group. They started to run back inside the shelter of the castle.
Thomas sprinted beside his twin cousins, "I thought that the other girls were fighting."
"They were," Kat said turning to him, "But when they were freed they ran out of the castle and I suppose that they are half way to where ever they were going."
"Well, there goes our army," Thomas said as he face fell.
Drogo looked over his shoulder and saw Aubrey jump over some stairs on the platform to a lower one. As she landed the old wood below her broke and she fell through. Drogo watched as Carond was not far behind her and started to run toward her.
"Drogo!" Faramir called from behind him, "What are you doing?"
"Aubrey fell, I got to help her!" he jumped and dodged as two arrows flew at him at one time. Before Faramir could react, Adrielle ran out after him. Philon started to step forward, but was held back by Kat.
"You'll just be another huge target in a cluster trying to help her."
He nodded and watched both Drogo and Adrielle dodge as many arrows as they could from the orcs above them. He stepped outside the door, careful not to be seen and looked up at the side of the wall. There was a higher window that he could hit the orcs without difficulty. He took off from the doorway and ran down the hall and toward some stairs that he saw earlier running into the hall. Faramir followed him as the others watched helplessly as their friends were in danger running through the barrage of arrows.
Aubrey held the wood above her with one hand and had her elbow secure her on the top of the wood. She couldn't use the hand without letting go of the amulet and she was not letting go of it for anything in the world. She kicked her feet as she felt the bottom of her feet burning and tried to keep the painful cries in her throat. The arrows shooting through the air were getting closer to her until one was only an inch away from her.
She fumbled her grip and the hand that was above the wood slipped and grabbed the edge. The amulet started to fall toward the fire, but Aubrey grabbed the broken gold chain between the wood and her thumb. She struggled and closed her eyes thinking that the next arrow would defiantly hit her. When the arrow never came she looked up and saw one of the orcs closest to her on the wall slumped over the wall and eventually slide off into the pit of fire below it. Aubrey looked over at the hall that she came from and saw elf arrows flying out of the window. 'Philon,' she thought with a smile.
She began to kick harder trying to push herself up on the platform. Her palms her getting sweaty and she felt herself beginning to slip. She let out a little gasp as her hand opposite holding the amulet slipped off, but she replaced it as fast as she could. She felt a small relief of heat from a shadow over coming her. She looked up slowly as she already knew who was standing over her. Carond bent down fast and held her by the hair and looked her in the eyes.
"You should have given yourself to me . . . you could be up here enjoying the pleasures of winning. Instead you are a few seconds from falling to your death."
Aubrey gritted her teeth against the pain from her hair, "At least death would be considered heaven compared to giving myself to you, Carond. Just like you to know that you are the worst kisser I have ever known." She looked at him with a disgusted look.
He looked at her with an incredulous look, "Even when I have your life in the palm of my hand you still mock me."
"It seems to me that is all you are good for, Carond," Aubrey said trying to regain her grip on the wood.
"Well, it seems to me that it is time for you to die," he let go of her hair and stood up in front of her. He brought his foot back ready to kick her into the pit. Aubrey waited for the blow of the kick.
Faramir and Philon watched from the tower with horror as Philon tried to match up the shot. He struggled with the arrow as his arm was starting to weaken. Plus the fact that this was one of his last two arrows that he brought with him didn't help him concentrate. He brought the bow with defeat written in his face.
"They are too far away. I cannot get a clear shot at him," he said turning back to an orc that was ready to shoot at one of the running forms. The orc was in the fire in a matter of two seconds.
"Say goodbye, Princess," Carond opened his eyes wide as he prepared for the final strike. Aubrey never felt the kick as she saw Drogo jump over her and knock Carond to the surface of the platform. Drogo looked up at Aubrey and tried to get up to help, but Carond pulled him back, "Stupid hobbit, always getting in my way!"
Carond stood over him and began to kick him in the stomach. Drogo looked away from Carond and toward Aubrey. Her left hand slipped and she tried to hang on to the wood and the amulet at the same time. She looked Drogo in the eyes and tried to get him to run. To get back from the castle . . . as far away as he could. Then he would be somewhat safe. Carond bent down and took a bunch of Drogo's hair in his hand.
"Now watch this," he whispered in his ear, "She will fall to her death just because she wouldn't cooperate. Just because she wouldn't give up on you . . . on your love. She will die."
Drogo looked at her and tried to put his hand out to reach for her, but they both knew he wouldn't be able to reach her. Carond stepped his leg over Drogo and stepped on his hand. He squinted slightly, but tried to keep his eyes open. Aubrey looked down at the red fire pit and remembered the first time she saw the flames coming toward her. This time a giant eagle won't save her . . . this time she would hit the flames like Mandy did so long ago.
As she felt her grip slip away from her she let go and saw the amulet fall toward her face. She caught it in her mouth although she didn't see how much of a difference it would make. Drogo watched as her hand slipped from out of view, "Aubrey!"
As Aubrey fell she took the amulet from her mouth and tried to clasp it back around her neck. After she found that it could still be clasped she looked back up at the platform she was hanging on just a few seconds ago. And below her nothing but hot flames. She held her hands out as if by some miracle she was going to fly or a cloud would come down from the sky to catch her. 'Please let something interfere in letting this world be destroyed.'
As soon as she closed her eyes she felt a jerk and a stop, as her arm seemed to be caught on something. She kept looking down at the flames until she looked up and clasped her other hand around the hand that was holding hers. Adrielle smiled back at her, 'That will work.'
"Need a hand there, Aubrey?"
"More than ever," she smiled back and tried to help in the process of getting her back up on a platform. She breathed hard as she looked at Adrielle, "How did you catch me?"
"I stayed behind Drogo and saw where you might fall. I doubted that Carond would sit there and just watch me pull you up, now would he?"
"I guess not," at the mention of his name Aubrey remembered that Drogo was still up there with him. She ran to the railing where Adrielle pulled her from her fall and looked up at the platform. She could see Drogo up against the railing kicking at the form of Carond and jumping to the other side.
"I need to get back up there," Aubrey turned to Adrielle.
"Follow me," they both took off running up the stairs of the platforms. As soon as they reached the top Aubrey saw both of the men kick and hit each other.
"Hey! Carond!" Aubrey threw one of the pieces of wood at his head, "Aren't I the one you want? Come and get me!"
Both of the men looked at her and Drogo could hardly believe his eyes. Carond threw him to the side, "Don't you ever just die?"
"My parents and friends won't allow that," Aubrey said holding up the jewel with a smirk on her face. Adrielle stepped up the stairs behind her and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I am so tired of your medalling," Carond started to run toward her.
"Adrielle, run back to the others I'll be fine. I have to help Drogo," Adrielle followed the instructions and began to run.
"After the Dark Lord comes again, do you really think that you can save them all?" Carond gave her a confident smirk, "All of you will be the first to go."
"Who says we're going anywhere, Carond?" Aubrey still held the jewel in her hand, "I still have the amulet."
"As soon as I get the jewel back, I will bring him back. I will be by his side and he will give me more power then ever imaginable."
"Not if I destroy it first," Aubrey let the jewel fall on her chest.
"Destroy it? That would only help my cause."
"Only if I drop it in the fire Carond. If I use it my way . . . well, you won't be anywhere near power."
"Are you willing to destroy the only link you share with your parents?"
Aubrey stopped and looked up at him, "I'm willing to give everything to keep my promise to others. To this world."
"Then do it, if you are so sure," he started to laugh, "Do it and see that all you will cause is the end to Middle Earth. And more then likely your life."
Aubrey looked at the amulet in her hand and focused hard staring into it, "You're right about one thing . . ." she looked Carond in the eyes, "It will probably take my life."
Drogo looked straight at her hanging on to the railing, "Aubrey . . ."
She looked past Carond and looked straight at Drogo, "This is the only way."
"So how are you going to do it then?" Carond kept taunting her.
"Do you ever listen to the stars, Carond?"
"Listen to the stars? Are you mad?"
"No, I'm perfectly sane. My father once told me to listen to the stars, moon and clouds. If you listened to them they would tell you stories and things you never knew possible. And one night . . . they told me the story of today."
"What are you talking about?"
"I will bring peace to this world, but in the process . . . the Princess will be gone."
"You are a fool!"
"We'll see who is the fool," she closed her eyes and began to chant in an elvish based language that echoed across the pit. She let her love for the land flow through her body and into the amulet lying on her chest. After a few seconds the jewel began to glow a bright blue underneath the gold roots. Her voice began to grow louder and louder soon; everyone in the castle could hear her voice.
Her eyes opened to show the light of the jewel shine through her. Carond began to step toward her, but was blown back by a magnificent force. He flew back against the wooden railing of the platform. Drogo watched as he tried to hang on and looked at Aubrey.
"There has to be a different way, Aubrey!"
Drogo . . . they will only come after it again and again. My parents understand and I will see them again soon. They only option is to destroy it and bring peace back to the land.
Don't leave me! he extended his hand out to her and reached.
Her face seemed to be struggling with in, Please Drogo, I can only hold on for so long. Don't make me lose my concentration. My love for you and the land can't interfere.
Drogo began taking steps toward her and reached her with great difficulty. He grabbed a hold of her and looked her in the eyes which were going back and forth from the light blue color of the jewel and her own green ones, If it feeds off your emotions . . . and it is feeding off your love . . . Then let it feed off of our love. You know it is stronger then anything else in this or any other world.
Drogo . . . Aubrey's eyes faded into her green ones and Drogo saw the true Aubrey.
I will not lose you, Aubrey. I love you, he cupped her face and kissed her on the lips. He held onto her as long as he could and felt the jewel start to drain the power that was flowing through his body.
Both of them were growing weaker by each moment and after a few minutes he couldn't hold on any longer. Both of them opened their eyes to look at each other for what they knew would be the last time. I love you, they proclaimed one last time.
A great bright light silenced all sounds around the castle and spread through out Mordor. The light settled on the ground and for the first time in Mordor's history flowers and grass began to grow on the once barren land. The small group of hobbits and two elves watched as the world around them began to bloom and the volcanic rock harden underneath the platforms. They looked out of the wooden planks and saw the light start to fade and the last of the energy disappear.
They all set out and began to run toward the platform. Once they reached it, they couldn't find Drogo or Aubrey. Faramir looked over the edge of the platform thinking they might have fallen over, but saw nothing. Philon looked at the broken pieces of wood that once served as railing and over the edge he saw a small peach colored figure in the died magma below them, "I think I see something!"
They all ran down to the bottom and saw a hand sticking out from the cooled magma. On it's right ring finger they saw the ring with the Carond shield printed on it. Carond had fallen off from the high winds and power radiating from the power of the jewel. The wood behind him broke and he fell into the boiling river, and then was trapped as it cooled all around him.
The group searched the hard surface for any sign of their friends, but no luck after an hour of searching. They all began to walk back up to the castle to walk back to Rivendell, but Faramir decided to stay behind for just a second. He looked up at the platform where they were standing and noticed the other platform underneath it. He fit a perplexed look upon his face and ran up the stairs flying past the others. The others looked at one another and followed Faramir without another thought.
On the platform below the one where they had brought the light back to Mordor both Aubrey and Drogo were found unconscious holding one another's hand. Philon looked at Faramir, "How did you know?"
"I just felt like they were there . . ." Faramir looked down at them, "Let's get them back to Rivendell. They could be seriously hurt."