Chapter 9
The Road to Death

"There is a spell that I could do, and it would save Tir from being an Orc, for now, but it is the only spell, and you may not like it." said Gandalf slowly, glancing between Legolas and Tir.

"Tell me about it." said Legolas calmly, though he was very scared, for the second time in his whole life.

Tir glanced around nervously, not completely understanding her surroundings. She knew who the people were, so she was not afraid of them, for they made her feel welcome, thought she had only known them for about four hours, and it wasn't even dawn yet.

"Well, what I would do, is cast the spell on her, but she would not change in any way. Yet. Then, when she is to die, she will die here, in Middle- earth, but she shall go back to where she was before she put my ring on."

"You're ring!" yelled Tir, exasperated. "You were the one who ran up to Dawn, and told her to give it to me. She thought you were my grandfather!"

"Hush, melamin." whispered Legolas, and for once, Tir heeded his words.

"Yes, Tir, I brought you here. But we needed you, and you know who needed you the most."

Tir glanced up at the old wizards twinkling eyes, not really ever mad at him, and nodded, leaning against Legolas.

Legolas glanced down at the elf in his lap, almost an Orc, but even then he would love her, not the Orc. It would be difficult to let her go, to let her die, but he knew what he must do if he wanted her to have freedom. He looked up at his best friend, who had always been there for him. "Legolas, you know what is right for Tir." replied Aragorn. "Do it, Gandalf, do it now, before I change my mind, for Tir has already made up hers." answered Legolas.

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"So, the battle is really going to happen in four nights, just like...well...?" asked Tir, looking as if she could not choose between being happy or being sad. "Yes. The battle that was earlier was just a small one. This one, as Aragorn has been saying for some time now, will be harder for us to win, for it is 300 men, give or take a few, who will be fighting." "Might I add something? It is both good and sad." "I don't see why not."

"Legolas? Aragorn? King Theoden?" asked Tir. When they all looked up, she said, "The Elves shall come and help the men, though some will die, including a close elf." she added, looking closely at Aragorn. The human gulped, hoping it wasn't who he thought. "And as Aragorn has been saying, the army against us is really 10,000 strong. And the battle will be fought at night." she looked over at the riders, who were staring at her. "Though, on the morning of the fifth day, hope will come from the east for all who seek it." she glanced at King Theoden, who was looking more nervous then she ever thought was possible. "It shall be about 400, then, against 10,000, but the battle will not be in vain. Much will be lost," she said slowly, glancing at Legolas. "But it shall all come through in the end."

Tir walked over to Legolas and allowed herself to collapse next to him. Gandalf had already performed the spell, and it made her feel weak. She found it hard to remain standing for a long period of time. Gandalf promised it would wear off, though, in time for the battle, in which she knew she would be the only female fighting, and would die then.

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"I must leave." said Gandalf solemnly. "But if you look to the east n the morning of the fifth day, you shall find hope." Aragorn nodded, and Gandalf rode off on Shadowfax, faster then even an elf's eye could follow.

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Tir looked around nervously. The battle was about to start. The enemy was near, near enough for an elf to see, but not a human, so she had warned Aragorn that they were close, and then resumed her place next to Legolas.

On Legolas's other side was Gimli, who was grumbling and trying to see the over the wall. Legolas rolled his eyes and looked over at Tir. He wanted to see her more, before she left him again, and he knew that she might never come back. Or he could never go see her. She had not had one of her 'attacks', as he called them, since they had just gotten her out of Isengard. She seemed to be getting worse though, and more restless, as if she was ready to kill. He sighed. This was not the elf he had known to love. He figured and hoped it was only the Orc part trying to get through.

He turned back to Gimli, who was still struggling. "You could have picked a better spot." Legolas pointed out. Then the three all saw Aragorn walking over to them. "Well lad, whatever luck you've lived by, let's hope it lasts the night."

All four of them looked up, first Tir, then Legolas, then the man and the dwarf. They all looked up to the one sound they didn't want to hear. The sound of the opposing army coming closer. Tir put her head down and muttered something in Elvish, and all of the sudden, she got her glow back. "What did you do?' asked Legolas, amazed. "Gandalf taught me a replenishing spell." she said simply. Legolas smiled and turned back to Aragorn.

"Your friends are with you, Aragorn." "Let's hope they last the night." finished Gimli.

Aragorn turned to the Elven worriers, who had shown up only a few hours ago. "A Eruchin, u-dano I faelas a hyn an uven tanatha le faelas!"

Tir looked down at the dwarf, who was looking confused, and translated "Show them no mercy, for you shall receive none!" Legolas looked down at the dwarf as well. Noticing that he was still struggling to see, the elf asked "Shall I describe it to you?" looking at the dwarf with a grin. "Or would you like me to find you a box?" Gimli turned and faced his friend, and laughed.

Tir looked over to where Aragorn stood next to Theoden, taking his place as King of Men. "Tangado halad!" he shouted. Tir and Legolas nocked their arrows in unison with the other Elven archers.

Legolas looks at the Uruk warriors closely. "Faeg I-varv dim na lanc a nu ranc!" Tir looked over to Gimli and the men. "Their armor is weak at the neck and underneath the arms!" she translated. Aragorn spoke to the elves. "Leithio i philinn!" And the elves did just so, shooting down a bunch of Uruks, but they keep advancing.

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"Legolas!" yelled Gimli. Both Tir and Legolas turned. "Two!" yelled the dwarf, holding up two fingers. "Seventeen!" yelled Legolas from the ridge he was standing on. He shot to more arrows. "Nineteen!" "Argh! I'll have no pointy-ear outscoring me!" Tir smiled from above both of them and yelled down "Thirty-two!" she turned back and killed some more. "Sorry, forty- six!" Legolas and Gimli stared up at her in awe. She really was mad at the Uruks.

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Tir shot a couple Uruks in the back, and all of the sudden felt a piercing sting in the small of her back. She saw that she had been shot by an Uruk, who she quickly shot back, killing it. "Stupid Uruks." she muttered. "HALDIR!" she heard Aragorn yell. She quickly bowed her head, mourning for the loss of one of her favourite elves. She heard Aragorn yell again, and knew that Haldir would never speak again.

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"OW!" yelled Tir when she got sliced by an Uruk blade. She could feel the poison, though very little got in, seeping in side of her. She shuddered as it became cold, and her arm was beginning to feel numb. "Well, no more shooting arrows for now." she pulled out her sword, but in the time she took, she got shot by yet another arrow. She felt dizziness sweep over her, but chose to ignore it, and she kept fighting. "Argh!" she yelled killing off thirty more Orcs before getting hit by three more arrows. With five arrows protruding out of her back, she could not stay standing.

She allowed her self to fall to the ground, and she felt her self being caught. The poison from all of the Orc weaponry used on her was being soaked up by her body, like a sponge. She looked at who caught her, and saw Legolas, but how he would look in the Blessed Lands. "Legolas..." she whispered, gasping for breath, pain slowly taking control over her body. "What, melamin?" He asked. "Sixty- seven." she said, trying to smile at him. He was glowing, and was beautiful, more then before. "I shall tell Gimli. You have beaten me by a long shot, for I only have two dozen." he said smiling down at her.

"Legolas?" she asked, as if making sure he was really there. "Yes?" he asked not wanting to have her die. "Amin mel lle, Legolas." Legolas looked hard at the dying elf in his hands. The elf that meant so much to him. He knew he must let her go. He would be able to see her again. "Amin mel lle, Tirinin Elen. Amin Tirinin Elen." Tir smiled up at the elf holding her, the one she loved with all her heart, and whispered "I will always be here." and pointed to his heart. He grabbed her hand, just as it went limp. "NOOOOOOOOO!" he yelled mournfully. Aragorn, Theoden, Gimli, and the Riders bowed their head, for Tirinin was dead.