Another chapter! Lucky you!
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The noise was horrendous; the clashing of swords, the screams of the dying. Faramir moved through the battle as if in a trance. Soon it was over, the Acolytes dead or fleeing. The Head Acolyte was dead by Faramir's own hand.
Catching his breath, the Steward heard a beloved voice call his name. Dropping the sword on the ground, he turned and held out his arms just in time for Éowyn to fall into them. Faramir stroked her hair, wincing when she laid her head on his chest, putting pressure on his shoulder.
The loving moment was suddenly ended when they were shaken apart by another roar and the shaking ground. Growling, Faramir picked up his sword, grabbed a torch, and stalked toward the cave from which the roar originated. "That's it! I am ending this now!" Aragorn, Éowyn, and Beregond exchanged glances before sprinting after him as he disappeared into the dark cave.
When they reached the mouth of the cave, however, Éowyn and Beregond hit an invisible barrier that almost threw them backwards. Aragorn, though, was able to push through the barrier, which to him was like a gel, slowing his movements. Getting through, he wasted not time in following Faramir deep into the cave.
Running almost recklessly through a tunnel after the Steward, Aragorn barely missed knocking into him when Faramir stopped suddenly where the tunnel opened up to a large cavern. "Faramir, what…?" When the king saw what his Steward did, he froze as well. Before them in the cavern was an equally large creature, like nothing either had ever seen before.
It was like a mass of darkness with three beady yellow eyes, two glaring out of its head and one at the bottom of its long, massive neck. A circlet of horns crowned its small head and of its seven legs 3 ended in long, sharpened talons, 4 in large paws. The clanking from its movements brought their attention to the chains that held the struggling monster in place. They seemed to be loosening so that its front paw and claw would be freed at any moment.
"What do we do?"
Faramir looked at Aragorn, then back at the Dark Beast, which he silently named Ungolug, serpent-spider. "Perhaps we should try to tighten its bonds."
Aragorn stared at the flailing beast, several times their size. "I am open to suggestions. I do not even see where they connect to the wall, the torch is too small."
"A distraction?"
"What would distract…watch out!" They ducked as the almost freed front legs swung at them. Faramir dropped the torch and rolled to the right while Aragorn rolled left. The king heard the other man sharply intake a breath. "Are you all right?"
Faramir gritted his teeth against the pain in his shoulder. Moving had started it bleeding again. The scent of the blood reached Ungolug and it let out a tremendous roar of anger and hunger before lunging at the Steward. Faramir barely moved in time, holding up his sword with his good arm. "I guess I am the distraction. Hurry!"
Aragorn scrambled to the side of the cave while Faramir tried to hold back the monster. Following the chains, the king found where they were welded to the wall. //Elvish chains, possibly from Lindon or Eregion. Definitely some sort of enchantment on them.// But whatever the elves had done to keep Ungolug bound was wearing off quickly as the links bent, almost breaking. "Aragorn!"
Faramir's call put him back on task. Aragorn tried pulling on the chains but the monster was too strong. He had no way to tighten the bonds on Ungolug. //Not good.// A loud shout turned his attention to the battle between man and beast. To his horror Aragorn found that the monster had somehow disarmed Faramir, his sword now lying right beneath Ungolug's dragon-like chest. The Steward was cornered.
"Faramir!" With a cry Aragorn plunged Andúril into Ungolug's side. Though it did not do much damage to the tough hide of the monster, it was like being clawed by someone with long fingernails and Ungolug was not happy about it. Screeching in pain, it twisted its body and went after Aragorn
As the king dodged and fought the beast, Faramir dove for his sword. Unfortunately, Ungolug had moved its body so that the sword was stuck under the large chest. No amount of pulling wound free it.
A loud roar caused the ground to shake and Aragorn slipped on the stone he was standing on, his breath knocked out of him. As the king struggled to recover, Faramir grimly realized that it would not be in time. His frustration built. //He saved my life, yet I have no sword with which to attack it with. What am I suppose to do?// A grim idea dawned on him, though it made him feel faint just thinking about it. //But I have to.//
Grabbing his own injured shoulder, Faramir roughly pulled so that the blood flowed freely again. The agony brought him to his knees…and the smell of fresh blood overpowered Ungolug's anger so that it turned away from Aragorn and shot its head at Faramir. Through the fog of pain, the Steward could see that his sword had been freed by the beast's movement. Crawling forward, Faramir's fingertips barely brushed the hilt before his world exploded into white-hot pain as Ungolug dug its fangs into his shoulder.
As the agony assailed him, Faramir blindly felt for his sword. The teeth dug in harder and he cried out, but with sheer strength of will, the Steward was able to grab the sword with his right hand and swing it at the monster's head. To Faramir's relief, Ungolug released him with a howl of indignation at having its chin hit by a long metal stick. Struggling to his knees, Faramir thrust his sword straight at the large, yellow eye at the base of the beast's neck.
Aragorn scrambled up from the rock he had fallen on as soon as the monster's attention had turned. Breathing in deeply he ran forward, intent on getting to Faramir who was losing the fight against the beast. Unfortunately, the king was stopped when the chain holding Ungolug's front legs broke. A claw swung at Aragorn. He was able to evade it, but his arm wasn't and the king heard and felt a sickening crack as the bone broke. Aragorn automatically let go of Andúril and clutched his right arm. After his head stopped swimming, he looked up in time to see Faramir stab the monster.
Ungolug screamed so loudly, the king thought his eardrums would burst. The monster flailed and Aragorn jumped back to avoid its death-throes, expecting Faramir to do the same. But the Steward, hampered by his injury and the mind-numbing pain, could not move in time. Before Aragorn could even shout out a warning, a large, swinging paw slammed into Faramir, knocking him against the cave wall. With a yell Aragorn ran toward the Steward only to find himself right below the dying beast. The king dove to the floor, flinging his good arm to cover his head, as the massive neck fell upon him.
Blinking at the dust cloud that surrounded him, Aragorn slowly uncovered his head. It didn't feel like very bone in his body was crushed, though his broken arm throbbed. He twisted his head and looked at the dead monster. Amazingly, Ungolug's neck had curved over him instead of smashing him into the ground. Crawling out from under the carcass, Aragorn couldn't help but stare. It had only taken a sword through the its third eye to kill the massive beast.
A pain-filled groan behind him caught Aragorn's attention. Turning, the king sprinted forward and knelt by his Steward's side. "Faramir!" The only response was another groan. Aragorn winced at the sight of the Steward's mangled shoulder. Blood still flowed and though he wrapped the wound, the king knew it needed stitched. //I have to get him back to Emyn Arnen.// Grimly he realized that he couldn't carry Faramir with his bad arm and he couldn't drag the Steward without risking further injury. //Why is it the one time he sleeps is the one time I need him not to?// "Faramir. Faramir, wake up."
Gray eyes fluttered open. Faramir moved his mouth to speak, but a flash of pain from his shoulder caused his body to convulse. He started to slump over, but Aragorn's strong hand steadied him. "Aragorn," he gasped out.
The king frowned as Faramir's face slowly but steadily grew paler. "We need to get you to the city. Can you stand?" Faramir nodded slightly and Aragorn supported him with his good arm as the Steward struggled to get his feet under him. Pausing for breath, the Prince of Ithilien looked over at the still body of Ungolug. "Is it dead?"
As he painfully sheathed Andúril, the king nodded in relief. "It is very dead. Come on, we should go." With Aragorn on the right and Faramir supported on the left, the two rulers slowly headed toward the exit of the cave.
Aragorn's hand was now slippery with blood from the Steward's wound. They were almost two-thirds of the way out, but the going was excruciatingly slow, especially for Faramir whose shoulder was agonizingly jarred with almost every step. Not that Aragorn's arm was feeling much better. //I don't think things could get any worse.//
Obviously a bad choice of words, because just then the cave rumbled and a rock fell right in front of them. "What?" More rocks started dropping around them and Aragorn's heart clenched in realization. "Cave in!"
Éowyn paced restlessly in front of the cave's mouth. After many frustrating tries, neither she nor Beregond nor the other soldiers could get past the invisible barrier. //Why did it let Faramir through so easily? He did not even seem to feel it like Lord Aragorn.// The only noise was the roars and rumbles from the cave that punctuated the stillness. Finally, after one last demonic scream, there was no more.
Suddenly Éowyn felt dizzy and her lungs burned. Coughing harshly, she noticed that everyone seemed to be having the same problem. //The air. It's lighter!// Indeed the pressing darkness that had hung over Ithilien like a cloud has dissipated. //They must have beaten whatever was in there!//
Éowyn and the guards again tried to get through the barrier, still to no avail. //Argh! Let me in!// She hit at the barrier and at that moment she heard a loud rumble and her fist passed through. Puzzled, she felt again. The barrier was gone! But as she looked inside, Éowyn realized that the cave was collapsing. "Faramir!" Unheeding of Beregond's yells, she sprinted into the cave shouting her husband's name.
Aragorn pulled himself and Faramir out of the way of a large pile of rocks that fell at them. The two landed hard on the cave floor and Aragorn flinched at the anguished cry that tore from Faramir's throat. Standing, Aragorn reached down to help the Steward up. Faramir weakly pushed him away with one hand. "Run," he gasped out. "I can't go any further."
Frowning, the king shook his head. "No way in Mordor I am leaving you here even if I have to carry you. Now come on, we are almost there." Aragorn managed to get him to stand, but as they faltered on Faramir was obviously leaning heavier on his king than before.
After only a few more meters, Aragorn collapsed from the almost deadweight of the Steward and the dizzying pain from his broken arm. To Faramir, the world was darkening, falling further away. As he felt Aragorn try to pull him up, the Steward's dimming thoughts fell to Éowyn. Much as Faramir wished to see her, he could not stop fading. Losing consciousness, he gave a sad smile as he thought he heard Éowyn's voice calling to him.
Throwing caution to the wind, Aragorn dragged the now unconscious Faramir away from a cascade of rocks. Kneeling by the Steward, thoughts jumbled through his head. //Can't leave him, he's my friend. Plus Lady Éowyn would kill me. Can't carry him, don't have the strength. What do I do?// Faintly he thought he heard a voice calling out. //Great, I'm hearing things as well.//
The voices grew louder and Aragorn realized that they were real! Éowyn and the others were shouting for him and Faramir. The king tried to yell to be heard over the noise of the collapsing cave. "Over here. We are over here, come quickly!"
To Aragorn's relief, they heard him and soon first Éowyn, then Beregond and the guards ran up to them. Seeing the exhausted monarch, Beregond quickly took charge. "Valin, Kersha, help King Elessar." The two guards leapt to Aragorn's side while Beregond and Éowyn supported Faramir. The world collapsing around them, they dashed through the tunnel and out of the cave just as it completely fell in on itself.
For a moment no one moved, their heavy breathing the only sound. Time started again as Beregond felt the stickiness of blood, the lifeblood of his Steward. Quickly, but gently, he and Éowyn laid Faramir on the grass and knelt next to him. "Lord Faramir!"
Aragorn cradled his broken arm against his chest. "He needs medical care. We must get him to Emyn Arnen immediately."
Éowyn brushed a lock of hair away from Faramir's ashen face and reached for his hand. She frowned. "Lord Aragorn?" The king looked at her. "If the cave was collapsing and you were struggling to make it out, why did you let him drag that thing the entire way?"
Everyone glanced to where she pointed. Still clutched in the Steward's hand was his sword. Aragorn smiled weakly. "I thought he felt heavy." That drew a quiet chuckle from the guards.
The light moment was broken by a soft groan from Faramir. Swiftly constructing a makeshift stretcher, the White Guard cautiously lifted the Steward, sword and all, and made their way to Emyn Arnen as quickly as they safely could. Walking beside the stretcher, Éowyn's heart clenched at the sight of her husband, stained with blood and deathly pale. //Please let it not be too late.//
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Alright, since there is only a little more of the story left, I'm just going to finish posting tonight.