This contains A LOT of dialogue from the book itself, so if this upsets anyone, I apologise in advance. Apart from that, I hope you like it, and please review. ^_^
Gilraen3.
Chapter 9, The Battle of the Black Gate.
A few days later, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Pippin, Gandalf, and a huge host of Men left Minas Tirith and went to the Black Gate of Mordor. They faced the Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dûr. He rode out at the head of only a small company of black-harnessed soldiery, and a single banner, black, but bearing on it the Evil Red Eye of Sauron. He halted a few paces before the Captains of the West, and he looked them up and down. He argued with Gandalf for a while, and then brought forward some garments. A short sword. Sam's short sword. An Elven cloak with the brooch of Lothlórien attached, and Frodo's' mithril shirt. He would let Frodo go, if they accepted his terms, which would mean Sauron would get control of Gondor, and almost all of Middle-Earth would belong to him. The Mouth of Sauron would be set at Isengard, and all the lands in the West would be under his control, his slaves.
But Gandalf said: "This is 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 these demands."
It seemed then To Gandalf, intent, watching him as a man engaged in fencing with a deadly foe, that for the taking of a breath the Messenger was at a loss; yet swiftly he laughed again.
"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!"
"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 and took from him the 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 to you. We did not come here to waste words in treating with Sauron, faithless and accursed; still less with one of his slaves. Be gone!"
Then the Messenger of Mordor laughed no more. His face was twisted with amazement and anger. Rage filled him and his mouth slavered, and shapeless sounds of fury came strangling from his throat. But he looked at the fell faces of the Captains and their deadly eyes, and fear overcame his wrath. He gave a great cry and turned, leaped upon his steed, ands with his company galloped madly back to Cirith Gorgor. But as they went, his soldiers blew their horns in signal long arranged; and even before they came to the gate Sauron sprang his trap.
Drums rolled and fires leapt up. The great doors of the Black Gate swung wide, and out of it poured a great host as when water is released when a sluice is lifted. The Captains remounted, and stood their ground. The battle began.
Arrows whined, trumpets sang, and the wind blew. Then, out of the red gloom that was the sun climbing towards the south came the Nazgûl, their cold voices crying words of death, and all hopes were quenched. Pippin wished Merry was there with him, as he watched the enemy draw closer and closer.
Then, out came hill-trolls of Gorgoroth. They were taller and broader than any man, and they were clad only in fitting mesh of horny scales, or maybe that was their hideous hide; but they bore round bucklers huge and black, and wielded heavy hammers in their knotted hands. Reckless, they sprang into the pools and waded across, bellowing as they went. Like a storm they broke upon the ranks of Gondor, and beat upon helm and head, arm and shield, as smiths hewing the hot bending iron.
At Pippin's side, his new friend Beregond was stunned and overborne, and he fell; and the great troll-chief that smote him down bent over him, and reached out a clutching claw, for these fell creatures would bite the throats of those they threw down.
Then Pippin stabbed upwards, and the written blade of Westernesse pierced through the hide and went deep into the trolls' vitals. His black blood came gushing out. He toppled forward, and came crashing down like a falling rock, burying those beneath him. Blackness, stench, and crushing pain came upon Pippin, and his mind fell away into a great darkness.
"So it ends as I guessed it would," his thought said, even as it fluttered away; and it laughed a little within him as it fled, almost gay it seemed to be casting off at last all doubt and care and fear. And even then, as it winged away into forgetfulness it heard voices, and they seemed to be crying in some forgotten world far above:
"The Eagles are coming! The Eagles are coming!"
For one moment more, Pippin's thought hovered.
"Bilbo!" it said. "But no, that came in his tale, long, long ago. This is my tale, and it is ended now. Good-bye."
And his thought fled far away and his eyes saw no more.
Legolas thought of Rinamarth. He felt the chain against his chest as he watched the enemy draw closer, and he felt hope flicker in his heart.
"I'll beat ya again this time!" he heard Gimli say gruffly beside him.
"Really?" Legolas asked, looking at him. Gimli laughed heartily. "Good luck lad."
"Good luck Gimli," and they charged.
They fought for ages, hewing heads off of Orcs, as well as arms and legs.
"22,23,24…" Legolas could hear above the noise. "30!" he called.
"Arg! No way! 25,26,27…"
Suddenly, Legolas noticed a small pair of rather large, hairy feet sticking out from under a huge troll that had just fallen beside him. "Pippin!" he cried.
Suddenly, cries surrounded him. "The Eagles are coming! The Eagles are coming!"
He looked up. Sure enough, far away, but drawing quickly closer, the Eagles were coming, Gwaihir at their head, and his brother Landroval at his side. They were the greatest of all the Eagles of the North, and behind them in long swift lines came their vassals from the northern mountains, speeding on a gathering wind. Straight down upon the Nazgûl they bore, stooping suddenly out of the high airs, and the rush of their wide wings was like a gale.
But the Nazgûl turned and fled, and vanished into Mordor's shadows, hearing a sudden terrible call out of the Dark Tower; and even at that moment, all the hosts of Mordor trembled, doubt clutched their hearts, their laughter failed, their hands shook, and their limbs were loosed. The Power that drove them on and filled them with hate and fury was wavering, its will was removed from them; and now looking in the eyes of their enemies they saw a deadly light and were afraid.
Then all the Captains of the West cried aloud, for their hearts were filled with a new hope in the midst of all the darkness. Out from the beleaguered hills knights of Gondor, Riders of Rohan, Dúnedain of the North, close-serried companies, drove against their wavering foes, piercing the press with the thrust of bitter spears. But Gandalf lifted up his arms and called in a clear voice:
"Stand, Men of the West! Stand and wait! This is the hour of doom."
And even as he spoke, the earth rocked beneath their feet. Then rising swiftly up, far above the Towers of the Black Gate, high above the mountains, a vast soaring darkness sprang into the sky, flickering with fire. The earth groaned and quaked. The Towers of the Teeth swayed, tottered, and fell down; the mighty rampart crumbled; the Black Gate was hurled in ruin; and from far away, now dim, now growing, now mounting to the clouds, there came a drumming rumble, a roar, a long echoing roll of ruinous noise.
"The realm of Sauron is ended!" cried Gandalf. "The Ringbearer has fulfilled his Quest!"
And as the Captains gazed south to Mordor, it seemed to them that, black against the cloud, there rose a huge shape of shadow, impenetrable, lightening-crowned, filling all the sky. Enormous it reared above the world, and stretched out towards them a vast threatening hand, terrible but impotent: for even as it leaned over them, a great wind took it, and blew it away, and passed; and then a hush fell.
The Captains bowed their heads; and when they looked up again, their enemies were flying and the power of Mordor was scattering like dust in the wind.
Then Gandalf, leaving all such matters of battle and command to Aragorn and the other lords, stood upon the hilltop and called; and down to him came the great eagle, Gwaihir the Windlord and stood before him. Gandalf mounted upon Gwaihirs' back, and the great eagle took off, others following.
When they had gone, Legolas called to Gimli. "Gimli, come quick! I need your strength!" Gimli hurried over, a cut on his arm, and his notched axe in his hands.
"What? What is it?"
"It's Pippin. He's under this brute," and he pointed to the troll.
"Pippin!" Gimli cried.
They ran over, and stared to heave the troll off. Men went to help, and as he was lifted over, Legolas gently pulled Pippin out. They let the troll fall back, carefully, so as not to damage the poor men already dead that lay beneath him. They hurried his tiny body over to Aragorn who gave a cry of dismay at the sight.
"He is alive still," he said, checking him. "But he needs help immediately. Hurry Gandalf, we need to leave at once."
Gandalf was at that moment, swooping down over Mount Doom. Gwaihir had spotted two tiny figures, hand in hand on the slopes as fire, and ash poured down around them. They fell to the floor as they reached them. They lifted them up, and flew with great speed back to the waiting Captains.
Hope that wasn't too bad. Anyway, as I said, please review, and 10 will be up ASAP.