I've made my best to post this as soon as I could, since, being a reader
myself, I know how frustrating it can be to wait too long too many times. I
hope it doesn't affect the quality of the chapter though. You'll be the
ones to tell me anyway. This chapter is rather long, but I've made longer
ones before.
Warnings: Violence. What else is new?
Disclaimer: I do not own either Lord of the Rings or Gundam Wing.
Chapter 21
The two boys stood before the metal giants in awe. They were the last things they had hoped to see, although it was the best news they had had for the past months. The Gundams stood against the side of the White Mountains, their concealing nets still covering them although it only made them stand out more against the grey rocky surface of the mountains. Deathscythe and Nataku were both there, and the boys deduced that because they had placed them in the same forest, they were together in the small valley.
Wufei jumped off Shadowfax and patted the horse on the nose. "I'll let you free now. You've saved my neck many times and I'm grateful for that, but I have important things to do and I need Nataku (1)," he said to the horse, more for Duo's benefit since at the same time he was sending the same words in thoughts to Shadowfax. The horse pawned the ground and snorted, the visual proof of his confusion and sadness. Wufei felt it and shook his head sadly but almost immediately, mostly because of his soldier instincts, closed his mind and rid his face of any expression expect anger.
"Go! Go, damn stubborn animal!" he ordered and backed away from the horse. Shadowfax stepped closer and nudged the boy's shoulder while trying to force his thoughts into Wufei's mind.
The Chinese boy softened almost imperceptibly. His years of training could not be undone in a few months. Showing weaknesses was giving the advantage to the enemy. Taking the horse's nose, he turned him around and gave him a strong slap on the hindquarters. Shadowfax darted away with a surprised whinny and meant to turn back but Wufei urged him to go back to Minas Tirith with promises that he'd go and find him there. He did all that in thoughts, of course. Enemies couldn't see his mind; he could be allowed some soft emotions.
Duo removed Shinigami's halter and the moment he did, the stallion started after the quickly vanishing Shadowfax. He was all too happy to leave his frightening master, for all his desire to help him.
The braided boy wordlessly walked to Deathscythe and removed the concealing net. The Gundam was still slightly moist because of the morning dew, but otherwise seemed in the same condition Duo had left it in. When he entered the cockpit, the familiar smell of leather and oil was so reassuring that Duo almost returned to normal. Yet he was letting his other half take control because he was more efficient at what had to be done.
The American boy started the engine and the metal giant complied with a deep humming. A small light flashed at a corner of the control panel and Duo opened the com-links. Immediately a small screen screeched to life in the bottom right corner of the big screen showing Wufei.
"I'm going back to Minas Tirith and prepare for the coming battle," he said simply. They had already silently accepted that plan, but it was always best to confirm it aloud.
"I'm heading to Mordor," Duo stated simply and entered the coordinates into the computer. The vague location he had given it appeared on the screen, not two hours from his present location. Without another word, he left in a roaring of motors.
Wufei watched his retreating back for a few moments before also leaving. Mount Mindolluin was barely five minutes from where he stood and he had time to settle. He had the Gundam climb halfway to the top and crouched the giant before shutting the motors but keeping the power running. Scanners would warn him when the armies arrive.
The black-haired boy stretched and searched in the compartment under his seat. He took a big metal box and opened the lid in barely concealed eagerness. It was an emergency pack he had kept for so long he had barely remembered it existed. He took the gun out and savoured the weight of it in his hand before placing it in the holster he had thrown on his back. There was also a few munitions and food. It was mostly energy bars but after two months of Middle Earth's food, it was almost a feast.
He took one and ate it slowly and with satisfaction before settling on the ground for a bit of meditation, which he hadn't found any time to do since he had landed in this weird world.
******
"My Lord?" Rear said tentatively. Ineluki was sitting before a crackling fire, his arms crossed in angry thoughts. He had thrown his crown aside and was dressed in simple cotton clothes, although even those were finely cut and sewn.
"If you come calling me that, I'm going to have you thrown out of the castle," Ineluki snapped, not moving an inch.
"I apologize Tallien, but I have gotten used to calling you my Lord. I cannot call you Tallien before my soldiers," Rear replied in a slightly reassured tone. If Tallien was acknowledging him, it meant he was in a good enough mood to listen to him.
"Yes, of course." Tallien waved his hand in a dismissing gesture. "What news bring you here?" he asked as he got up and stretched.
"Scouts have reported distressing news. They pretend that a giant his running this way and that it will be upon us in an hour at most," Rear answered. His face was stoical but his voice betrayed his nervousness.
Tallien looked at him gravely. "Will it run into the troops?"
"No, by pure luck. The scouts affirm that it doesn't know exactly where Mordor is and that it ran a little too far south to meet the troops," Rear explained. It was indeed chance for them that Duo had started from the southern end of the valley which was a little lower than Minas Tirith and the direct line between the Black gate and the city. Then he had turned eastward to reach Mordor, running barely a few miles under the marching army.
"Nothing can be done until we know more about that thing. Go back to the troops, Rear, I will see into the matter," Tallien said and leaned on his elbow against the mantelpiece.
The General, seeing the dismissal, bowed and left. Tallien was staring at the flames intently. Everything was going for the worst. First, the prisoner was far stronger than any had thought and appeared to prefer dying to saying anything about him or his friends. Then his dream world had been destroyed. Yuy's magical influence was so strong that it had managed to enter his world and destroy it without the boy knowing it. But the worst part was his discovery of Duo's identity in the real world. He now knew he was the disturbed and disturbing aura coming to Mordor, which he guessed was the violet-eyed boy that reacted to his eye. It wouldn't have been so bad if the giant hadn't been there, because with its position and the one of Duo's aura, he knew they were together. That could only mean bad business. Finally, the third boy's aura was still too far for him to feel, which meant he wasn't with Duo and wasn't coming to Mordor anymore. He'd have to run after him again.
With an angry groan, Tallien pushed himself away from the fire. And even Draak had disappeared! The King walked to his room, practically fuming, and changed before walking down to Sauron's Mirror.
He could still see in it, but although he tried almost desperately, he couldn't make a single image obey his control. Everything was blurry and flashing in disarray. Tallien cursed. He could sense Yuy's magical influence again. Keeping the boy was almost worst than having him run free.
Grasping the red orb on his mythril choker, the King summoned just enough power to create a barrier to keep the boy's magic outside. The thing was convenient but dangerous to use, especially since he had defeated the guardians by using it to its full extent. Feeling his skin start to prickle, he hurried to find the giant running towards Mordor, and froze at the sight. He had never seen anything like that before. It was enormous, made of black and dark green. A scythe made of what appeared to be green light was grasped in its hand. When Tallien laid his eyes on it, it seemed to double the pace. He knew for sure that it was the braided boy.
With a desperate groan he pulled away from the mirror and looked at the black water intently. Then, his hand trembling with hesitation, he removed his choker and hung it over the oily surface of the basin. The red gem reacted immediately and flashed in a bright light. Blinded, Tallien was thrown back against the wall. A great explosion sound resonated in the room and the very earth shook in protest.
Tallien looked around the room as he straightened up, his hand feeling at the back of his head. The mirror had broken to pieces, spilling the black water all over the floor. It was quickly evaporating. Thin tendrils of smoke floated through the window. The red gem lay broken in thousands of tiny shards among the ruins of the basin.
The King stood up and carefully picked his way out of the room. He had had a sudden feeling that it would have been more dangerous to keep using the mirror than destroying the last remnant of Sauron's power. He had heard everything about the Ring of Power and the addiction it caused to the bearer. He had not made the connection with the mirror, but after he had pushed away from it, he had felt a tug at his mind that called him back to the oily surface. If he hadn't destroyed it then, it would have trapped him.
******
Heero felt a sudden shudder run down his spine. Something that had been weighting on his mind had disappeared and the boy could feel the pressure slowly lift, but it left an empty space that chilled him instead.
In his confinement, Heero had had time to evaluate his surroundings. Not in the material way, but in the way the place made him feel. Since he had arrived here, he had often felt that thing in his mind, like water flowing around peacefully. Sometimes he had felt like a stone was thrown in the liquid, making ripples that bothered him greatly and forced his attention to focus on that point. At first he had believed it to be instincts of some sort, but he had truly become aware of it when they had encountered the wolves and that Wufei had communicated with Fenrir. That time, it wasn't a stone that had disturbed the water, but wind. It whistled over the river, making it foam and creating enormous waves. That time, his attention was not focused on a certain point, but the waves seemed to engulf him instead. It had been very disturbing.
This place had a feeling much similar to that, but it was ten times worse. A whole storm had raged in his mind and it was as if the waves had beaten against his very skull. He was glad it was over, but he had gotten a little used to the pressure, and the sudden calm felt weird.
He knuckled his shoulders as he tried to undo some knots but quickly abandoned. Even his sleep was restless. Of course, he was tired, hungry and in pain, but all those factors he had been trained to endure. It was those dreams. Dreams that his head seemed to explode under the pressure of the water as ground split open under his feet, mountains spit rivers of lava and forest burned to the ground. He always woke up covered in cold sweats and more tired than if he hadn't slept at all.
Heero looked around his cell and tried to make a plan of escape but once again, it failed. He had nothing but his two hands and he had already tested all the metals bars. They were solid and the guards had become more watchful since when they had spotted him trying the bars.
Heero lay back down and tried to sleep, hoping it wouldn't be filled with those tiring dreams.
******
Wufei woke up with a start as all the scanners screeched to life. He looked around the screens and saw that an enormous mass of humans was marching closer to Minas Tirith. They were far more numerous than when they had attacked Rohan, but besieging the white city was more challenging and required much more manpower.
Activating the motors, he waited a little before jumping down from his hiding place and protecting the city. He planned on attacking the front of the armies but no more. If they weren't scared away, he'd wait until they were almost upon him before doing anything. The humans had practically nothing to defeat a single Gundam and he felt it a blow to honour to kill so many when the odds were so unfair. He also could not imagine killing so many people in a single day. It was far more than he had ever done, even when he had destroyed a whole OZ base.
When the troops were just a few minutes before being in sight of the city, Wufei jumped down before the white walls. There was an immediate commotion among then defenders. All had heard about the mysterious giants but they were terrified to have one fall out of the sky before them.
Wufei opened the speakers. He had thought about getting out, but soldiers would probably shoot him the moment he did before recognizing him.
"Lord Aragorn, if you can hear me, please listen carefully. I will hold the attackers off as much as I can. Do not attempt any charge and spare your man and arrows," Wufei instructed. The boy doubted anyone could recognize his voice through the crackling of the speakers, but his words had some effects on the people of Minas Tirith. They looked at the giant doubtfully but with hope clearly painted over their features.
Wufei didn't spare a look behind him as Ineluki's army finally appeared over a small rise not too far away in the plain. He couldn't see the faces but he noticed the hesitation in the mass's movements. He smirked. That would be a battle they'd remember for many years.
He waited for them to come nearer and spotted the man leading them by his peculiar mount and his built. As he raised his Vulcan Guns, he aimed them slightly higher than the General. High-ranked officers were precious for interrogation, if you could make them talk. If any survived the assault, he'd wipe them with his Dragon Hands.
The armies hesitated again as they saw the green giant move, but it took a single blow of the General's horn to have them break into a gallop. Retreating into his combat mode that allowed him to kill without so much as a thought, Wufei opened a first volley of shots.
The bullets swept over the first ranks, leaving few alive and unscathed. Silence fell heavy as the armies from both side stood frozen and staring at the destruction in fear and wonder. Smoke rose from the barrels as Wufei waited for the enemies to move before attacking again. The Vulcans reloaded in a mere second and were ready to let another volley shoot out of their smoking barrels.
The first signs of retreat appeared in the opposite camp. Men started to back away in fear. The General blasted his horn, making his men regroup and form another wave of assault. Wufei looked at the radars and, judging by the number he had eliminated in one shot, calculated that three more like that one would leave Ineluki's forces badly crippled. Minas Tirith would not have any problem holding the siege with that number of men left.
The army started moving again, this time more cautiously. Wufei waited until they were yet a little closer before opening fire. The shots swept the first ranks mercilessly, but before the Vulcans had went through half of their loaded bullets, something like a silver arrow shot towards Nataku. Wufei did not interrupt the attack and had the screen zoom on the thing. It did not appear to be an arrow.
Wufei could finally make out the creature. He nearly interrupted the attack in surprise. It was a small silver dragon that seemed to grow with every second he flew closer to Nataku. Before Wufei realized that it indeed was growing, the beast was half the size of the Gundam and had grown a second head. The dragon crashed against the metal giant with a great roar.
Nataku was nearly pushed down by the impact but it held its ground. The dragon immediately grasped the Gundam, piercing even Gundanium with its powerful claws, and opened its massive jaws as flames gathered at the back of its throats. Wufei braced himself for the attack, as he wasn't able to shake the beast off. A great wall of fire engulfed him, but he was not too worried about them. Gundanium was resistant to incredibly high temperatures.
Nonetheless, warnings about important high temperature levels of the motors flashed around the screen. The Chinese boy cursed under his breath. He did not doubt the beast had the power of a blaster in its belly. Wufei tried to undo the beast's grasp by grabbing it around the wrists. He squeezed them fiercely as he pulled on them. The dragon stopped his fire breathing in a shriek of pain and jumped away from the Gundam.
The boy watched him take to the sky and prepared one Dragon Hand and his Twin Beam Trident. The beast dove with the intention of ramming into the Gundam but with one perfectly aimed swing of his Trident, Wufei got him to stop short. Its massive wings beat furiously, bringing up a cloud of snow. The boy took the opportunity and shot his Dragon Hand. The dragon received the claw square in the chest, making it shriek horribly and fall to the ground.
Wufei noticed at that moment that Ineluki's armies were running past his fight against the dragon and were attacking Minas Tirith. He was about to defend the city when the beast got back on its feet. It stared at the Gundam, perfectly immobile. Its yellow orbs were shining with anger and Wufei recognized the look of an intelligent creature evaluating its opponent.
The boy raised one Vulcan but a second before he shot, the dragon jumped in the air. Wufei cursed. The beast was swift; it would be tougher than he thought to bring it down.
They fought like that for a long time while Minas Tirith was bravely holding off its attackers. Finally, when both sides had reached a critical point, Wufei managed to shoot the dragon in the chest. The beast, which had been in the air, crashed to the ground with a pitiful cry. It struggled to get up and breath fire, but the bullet had hit home. It was loosing its blood at an incredible rhythm, making the white snow become a red sludge. It was a sad image and Wufei stared at it solemnly. Then, suddenly, when before it had been closed to him, the dragon opened his mind and allowed all of his pain, hatred and shattered love to break through the boy's mental defences. Wufei felt them crash into his mind and he almost believed he himself was the dragon. Its pain was so strong that Wufei would not have been surprised if he also had died. But then the animal breathed his last breath. The two heads fell on the ground, the four yellow eyes staring at the boy as if they were still alive. The thoughts Wufei had been feeling not a second ago disappeared and left an empty cold space. It took a few moments for the boy to come back to his senses, but when he did, he turned around to help Minas Tirith.
A few men had noticed the dragon's death and were looking at the corpse in sad admiration but most were too occupied with the battle to notice. Aiming his Dragon Hand at the far end of the line of attackers, Wufei swept the back ranks. Ineluki's men suddenly realized that the giant had its attention back on them, and many ran away. Wufei forced himself to attack until the number of attacker wasn't a threat anymore, then turned to run to Mordor. Even his soldier training could not prevent him from feeling awfully sick at what he had done.
******
Duo took the time to really look at the ruins of Sauron's tower, Minas Morgul. It was a simple pile of black rubble, but he knew the story backing it up and could only feel respect for it.
As the sun started descending, Duo finally reached the ruins. The only resistance he had encountered had been at the Black Gate, but one strike from his scythe and it had crumbled. The few soldiers positioned there had fled for their lives. A few had tried shooting arrows, but if Gundanium could withstand almost all bullets, an arrowhead was not even close to being a threat.
Duo got out of Deathscythe and marched into the enemy base. He kept to the shadows, his training finally being used like before. Most of the chambers were underground and the braided boy guessed that only the high- ranked officers lived there. He had previously spotted establishments farther eastward. Those must have been the settlements of the soldiers.
Because of that and because every man was out against Minas Tirith, Duo did not meet a single soul. He was about to doubt if he was at the right place when he came across a door under which a pale flickering light shone. The boy was debating over how he'd get in when a deep voice called to him from the room.
"Finally. You've been making me wait for a long time. Do come in, it's warmer here, " the voice said as if he was calling for his best friend.
Duo entered but kept his hand on his gun. He was not going to fool around with swords or daggers. As soon as the man had told him where Heero was, he was dead with a bullet in the head.
"If you would please leave your sword and knives near the door. I am unarmed. I simply wish to talk, " the man continued. Duo obeyed without a word. The man did not know about the gun, and, after all, could not.
Duo went to sit before the speaker. He was a tall man with short black hair and piercing brown eyes. He practically radiated with majesty.
"Finally I meet you. It is my pleasure, Duo Maxwell. "
The braided boy jumped in surprise. "How do you know who I am? " he asked worriedly.
"We have met quite a few times already. I am sorry by the peculiar way I left you last time, " he replied in a snickering voice.
Duo suddenly understood. "Tallien? " he asked uncertainly.
"The one and only, " Tallien replied and laughed. "Do not be so surprised! I am not so different in this world. Besides, my Lady must have spoken to you about me a great deal if she knew you talked to me. " He was suddenly very serious and something like anger shone in his eyes.
"Lady? To you mean that woman's voice? " the American boy was getting more and more confused. The normal Duo was slowly taking control again. The man seemed to know things that would be interesting to know. He could not be killed right away.
"She hasn't told you her name? Well, that is fairly unusual. She is Lady Galadriel, the Lady of Lothlorien when it was still existing, " he answered, frankly surprised.
Duo nodded. He knew a little about her from Sam. It was not so surprising that she had been the one to guide him through so many things in her world.
"She never talked about you, " he countered. The boy could not recall a single word about a man.
"She would not have spoken directly, of course. She fancies a legend that she constantly associates with me. It is beginning to be annoying, " Tallien answered with an exasperated shrug. Duo did not miss the hint of anger in his position though.
It was suddenly all clear. Lady Galadriel had spoken about the legend making him see past a man's mental barriers. And then Tallien had said the legend and he were related. The pieces of the puzzle slowly placed themselves together; making a picture that forced the 'dark' Duo back to the far reaches of his mind. He was troubled but what he thought he understood.
Tallien saw the changes of expression pass on the boy's face. His own features grew sombre and anger flared in his brown eyes.
"You know, don't you? The big picture at least, " he said bitterly.
Duo nodded but stayed silent. He knew that the men would tell him the story of his coming to Middle Earth so that the boy would be able to fix the smaller details.
Tallien stood up and leaned against the mantelpiece to stare into the fire. It was the pose he favoured for painful thinking and remembering.
"It really started a few years ago, although some say it began much later. It was an amazing victory from Middle Earth's part to destroy Sauron completely. To the east of here, we Easternmen had only heard rumours about Sauron, but we knew about the extent of his power and feared he'd come to the East after conquering the Middle. When words reached us about his death, we were overjoyed. I was a teenager on the brink of manhood back then, but I remember everything perfectly. We celebrated almost as much as Middle Earth. But then, barely a few weeks after the Dark Lord's fall..."
Tallien paused. His breathing was fast and Duo knew he was prey to vivid memories that caused him great pain.
"Our world started to die. Crops failed, livestock died of unknown sicknesses, and lambs were stillborn. Even fish started to swim in the deep sea, out of our reach. And then the other races we had established peace with started attacking us. The Black Elves were especially ferocious. They, alone, burned the capital to the ground. Then the Icemen raided every farm on their border. But they were not satisfied. They continued south until they had doubled their territory. The world was in chaos. Everyone was turning against each other; allies could not even stand together against the Black Elves or the Icemen. We managed to survive a few years like that, but soon the forests were emptied, the lakes dried up. We had used up every resource our land could give us. "
The King stopped again. His hand was clutched in a fist so tight his knuckles were white and a small drop of blood coursed down his palm.
"I reached manhood in those two years of chaos. At that moment, I felt some power over the land. Like a black cloud, covering the sun and shadowing flowers so that they die slowly. I understood at that moment. Sauron was dead, yes, but his spirit was not totally gone, not yet. He had fled Middle Earth and covered the EsternMore (2) instead. His spirit was stretched thin across the whole country and he was quickly vanishing. He died, finally, but he had killed a whole world with him. I rallied my men and set off for Middle Earth with my mind set on vengeance. We wanted to conquer Middle Earth so that we could establish ourselves here and flourish again. "
Tallien laughed, but it was scratchy and mocking.
"I had thought of talking to the King to make an arrangement, but the fires of hatred and vengeance had been kindled in the heart of every Easternman. The only way we would have this world was by force. We could have, until you and your two friends appeared. I knew then that I had failed, whatever I did. "
The King was staring at Duo intently and with pure hatred burning in his eyes and despair on his face. His skin was a sort of greyish tone and sweat was running down his brow. He had the look of a man who had abandoned living.
The man's gaze turned back to the flames and Duo knew he had finished his story. It was like he had guessed. What the Lady Galadriel had meant to teach him with the legend was that although he was doing it in the worst way possible, Ineluki was making war on Middle Earth for the love of his people and land. It was exactly like the dragoness Lothien who had built the underwater galleries to please her father, but had brought his death instead.
Duo was suddenly stricken with a powerful feeling of pity towards the man. He had done everything for a honourable cause, although the manner of his doing was not excusable. Forgetting for a moment his hate and anger, he moved towards the door. He had barely reached the doorknob when a blade was shoved before his face.
"What do you think you are doing? I am not going to let you go. You have doomed my people! I will take great pleasure in slitting your throat. "
Tallien must have hidden the weapon somewhere in the room, but Duo reacted instinctively. In a mere second, he had pulled out his gun and shot Ineluki square in the chest. The man fell on the ground with a surprised grunt.
"So this is how it ends. Killed by the mysterious weapon of my enemy, " the King rasped with a sad smile. All trace of hatred was gone. He was simply resigned to his death. "Maybe, when I am gone, someone will be able to take over in my steed and accomplish what I could not. " Tallien had been staring at the ceiling but he turned his glazed eyes to Duo. "Please send my apologies to Rear. But also tell him I do not regret anything. "
Tallien took one last shaky breath, then closed his eyes and went limp. The great Sea Lord was dead.
******
Wufei reached Minas Morgul in barely an hour. Fear for his friends had given him wings. He literally barged into the room where Do was kneeling before the corpse of the King. He had placed his sword on him and crossed his hands over the hilt. Wufei, immediately understanding what was going on, knelt beside the braided boy and sent a silent prayer for the fallen. He waited for Duo to speak first.
"He really was a good man, " he finally said. His face was ghostly pale and his voice calm and measured in a way Wufei had learned meant he was in a great emotional turmoil.
Silence stretched another few minutes before Duo finally got up. The Chinese boy had not asked any questions; he knew the braided boy would tell them in time. He understood his friend a little, having himself troubles accepting what he had done at Minas Tirith.
They made their way steadily downward until they came upon two guards. They were quickly disposed of and, grabbing the cells' keys, Duo eagerly entered the dark room.
Heero was leaning against the wall, eyes closed. All traces that he had been in pain were gone. His incredible resistance to drugs had quickly eliminated the poison and he was slowly recovering his energy, although a little food would be welcomed.
When the two boys stopped before his cell, he opened his two magnificent cobalt-blue orbs and stared right at Duo. The boy sighed in long-needed relief and opened the door and entered.
It took Heero merely a few seconds to evaluate the look on his comrades and know the situation.
"It's over, " he stated.
Duo stepped closer and flashed him his brightest smile as he took out his hand to help him up. "You bet it is buddy. Let's go back to our Earth now. "
******* The End *******
I know that Nataku is in Endless Waltz and that they haven't reached that point yet, but I prefer those Gundams. I also used Deatscythe Hell, although it could be any other version. I was not really precise concerning that one. EsternMore is the name of the land in the east, like Middle Earth.
FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, you better believe it, this is the LAST chapter of the story! After a year and a half, I am finally done. Well... almost. There is a small epilogue coming to cover up the last details. It won't take too long, I think, but those who have stuck with me long enough know it's better not to believe that.
A-chan
Warnings: Violence. What else is new?
Disclaimer: I do not own either Lord of the Rings or Gundam Wing.
Chapter 21
The two boys stood before the metal giants in awe. They were the last things they had hoped to see, although it was the best news they had had for the past months. The Gundams stood against the side of the White Mountains, their concealing nets still covering them although it only made them stand out more against the grey rocky surface of the mountains. Deathscythe and Nataku were both there, and the boys deduced that because they had placed them in the same forest, they were together in the small valley.
Wufei jumped off Shadowfax and patted the horse on the nose. "I'll let you free now. You've saved my neck many times and I'm grateful for that, but I have important things to do and I need Nataku (1)," he said to the horse, more for Duo's benefit since at the same time he was sending the same words in thoughts to Shadowfax. The horse pawned the ground and snorted, the visual proof of his confusion and sadness. Wufei felt it and shook his head sadly but almost immediately, mostly because of his soldier instincts, closed his mind and rid his face of any expression expect anger.
"Go! Go, damn stubborn animal!" he ordered and backed away from the horse. Shadowfax stepped closer and nudged the boy's shoulder while trying to force his thoughts into Wufei's mind.
The Chinese boy softened almost imperceptibly. His years of training could not be undone in a few months. Showing weaknesses was giving the advantage to the enemy. Taking the horse's nose, he turned him around and gave him a strong slap on the hindquarters. Shadowfax darted away with a surprised whinny and meant to turn back but Wufei urged him to go back to Minas Tirith with promises that he'd go and find him there. He did all that in thoughts, of course. Enemies couldn't see his mind; he could be allowed some soft emotions.
Duo removed Shinigami's halter and the moment he did, the stallion started after the quickly vanishing Shadowfax. He was all too happy to leave his frightening master, for all his desire to help him.
The braided boy wordlessly walked to Deathscythe and removed the concealing net. The Gundam was still slightly moist because of the morning dew, but otherwise seemed in the same condition Duo had left it in. When he entered the cockpit, the familiar smell of leather and oil was so reassuring that Duo almost returned to normal. Yet he was letting his other half take control because he was more efficient at what had to be done.
The American boy started the engine and the metal giant complied with a deep humming. A small light flashed at a corner of the control panel and Duo opened the com-links. Immediately a small screen screeched to life in the bottom right corner of the big screen showing Wufei.
"I'm going back to Minas Tirith and prepare for the coming battle," he said simply. They had already silently accepted that plan, but it was always best to confirm it aloud.
"I'm heading to Mordor," Duo stated simply and entered the coordinates into the computer. The vague location he had given it appeared on the screen, not two hours from his present location. Without another word, he left in a roaring of motors.
Wufei watched his retreating back for a few moments before also leaving. Mount Mindolluin was barely five minutes from where he stood and he had time to settle. He had the Gundam climb halfway to the top and crouched the giant before shutting the motors but keeping the power running. Scanners would warn him when the armies arrive.
The black-haired boy stretched and searched in the compartment under his seat. He took a big metal box and opened the lid in barely concealed eagerness. It was an emergency pack he had kept for so long he had barely remembered it existed. He took the gun out and savoured the weight of it in his hand before placing it in the holster he had thrown on his back. There was also a few munitions and food. It was mostly energy bars but after two months of Middle Earth's food, it was almost a feast.
He took one and ate it slowly and with satisfaction before settling on the ground for a bit of meditation, which he hadn't found any time to do since he had landed in this weird world.
******
"My Lord?" Rear said tentatively. Ineluki was sitting before a crackling fire, his arms crossed in angry thoughts. He had thrown his crown aside and was dressed in simple cotton clothes, although even those were finely cut and sewn.
"If you come calling me that, I'm going to have you thrown out of the castle," Ineluki snapped, not moving an inch.
"I apologize Tallien, but I have gotten used to calling you my Lord. I cannot call you Tallien before my soldiers," Rear replied in a slightly reassured tone. If Tallien was acknowledging him, it meant he was in a good enough mood to listen to him.
"Yes, of course." Tallien waved his hand in a dismissing gesture. "What news bring you here?" he asked as he got up and stretched.
"Scouts have reported distressing news. They pretend that a giant his running this way and that it will be upon us in an hour at most," Rear answered. His face was stoical but his voice betrayed his nervousness.
Tallien looked at him gravely. "Will it run into the troops?"
"No, by pure luck. The scouts affirm that it doesn't know exactly where Mordor is and that it ran a little too far south to meet the troops," Rear explained. It was indeed chance for them that Duo had started from the southern end of the valley which was a little lower than Minas Tirith and the direct line between the Black gate and the city. Then he had turned eastward to reach Mordor, running barely a few miles under the marching army.
"Nothing can be done until we know more about that thing. Go back to the troops, Rear, I will see into the matter," Tallien said and leaned on his elbow against the mantelpiece.
The General, seeing the dismissal, bowed and left. Tallien was staring at the flames intently. Everything was going for the worst. First, the prisoner was far stronger than any had thought and appeared to prefer dying to saying anything about him or his friends. Then his dream world had been destroyed. Yuy's magical influence was so strong that it had managed to enter his world and destroy it without the boy knowing it. But the worst part was his discovery of Duo's identity in the real world. He now knew he was the disturbed and disturbing aura coming to Mordor, which he guessed was the violet-eyed boy that reacted to his eye. It wouldn't have been so bad if the giant hadn't been there, because with its position and the one of Duo's aura, he knew they were together. That could only mean bad business. Finally, the third boy's aura was still too far for him to feel, which meant he wasn't with Duo and wasn't coming to Mordor anymore. He'd have to run after him again.
With an angry groan, Tallien pushed himself away from the fire. And even Draak had disappeared! The King walked to his room, practically fuming, and changed before walking down to Sauron's Mirror.
He could still see in it, but although he tried almost desperately, he couldn't make a single image obey his control. Everything was blurry and flashing in disarray. Tallien cursed. He could sense Yuy's magical influence again. Keeping the boy was almost worst than having him run free.
Grasping the red orb on his mythril choker, the King summoned just enough power to create a barrier to keep the boy's magic outside. The thing was convenient but dangerous to use, especially since he had defeated the guardians by using it to its full extent. Feeling his skin start to prickle, he hurried to find the giant running towards Mordor, and froze at the sight. He had never seen anything like that before. It was enormous, made of black and dark green. A scythe made of what appeared to be green light was grasped in its hand. When Tallien laid his eyes on it, it seemed to double the pace. He knew for sure that it was the braided boy.
With a desperate groan he pulled away from the mirror and looked at the black water intently. Then, his hand trembling with hesitation, he removed his choker and hung it over the oily surface of the basin. The red gem reacted immediately and flashed in a bright light. Blinded, Tallien was thrown back against the wall. A great explosion sound resonated in the room and the very earth shook in protest.
Tallien looked around the room as he straightened up, his hand feeling at the back of his head. The mirror had broken to pieces, spilling the black water all over the floor. It was quickly evaporating. Thin tendrils of smoke floated through the window. The red gem lay broken in thousands of tiny shards among the ruins of the basin.
The King stood up and carefully picked his way out of the room. He had had a sudden feeling that it would have been more dangerous to keep using the mirror than destroying the last remnant of Sauron's power. He had heard everything about the Ring of Power and the addiction it caused to the bearer. He had not made the connection with the mirror, but after he had pushed away from it, he had felt a tug at his mind that called him back to the oily surface. If he hadn't destroyed it then, it would have trapped him.
******
Heero felt a sudden shudder run down his spine. Something that had been weighting on his mind had disappeared and the boy could feel the pressure slowly lift, but it left an empty space that chilled him instead.
In his confinement, Heero had had time to evaluate his surroundings. Not in the material way, but in the way the place made him feel. Since he had arrived here, he had often felt that thing in his mind, like water flowing around peacefully. Sometimes he had felt like a stone was thrown in the liquid, making ripples that bothered him greatly and forced his attention to focus on that point. At first he had believed it to be instincts of some sort, but he had truly become aware of it when they had encountered the wolves and that Wufei had communicated with Fenrir. That time, it wasn't a stone that had disturbed the water, but wind. It whistled over the river, making it foam and creating enormous waves. That time, his attention was not focused on a certain point, but the waves seemed to engulf him instead. It had been very disturbing.
This place had a feeling much similar to that, but it was ten times worse. A whole storm had raged in his mind and it was as if the waves had beaten against his very skull. He was glad it was over, but he had gotten a little used to the pressure, and the sudden calm felt weird.
He knuckled his shoulders as he tried to undo some knots but quickly abandoned. Even his sleep was restless. Of course, he was tired, hungry and in pain, but all those factors he had been trained to endure. It was those dreams. Dreams that his head seemed to explode under the pressure of the water as ground split open under his feet, mountains spit rivers of lava and forest burned to the ground. He always woke up covered in cold sweats and more tired than if he hadn't slept at all.
Heero looked around his cell and tried to make a plan of escape but once again, it failed. He had nothing but his two hands and he had already tested all the metals bars. They were solid and the guards had become more watchful since when they had spotted him trying the bars.
Heero lay back down and tried to sleep, hoping it wouldn't be filled with those tiring dreams.
******
Wufei woke up with a start as all the scanners screeched to life. He looked around the screens and saw that an enormous mass of humans was marching closer to Minas Tirith. They were far more numerous than when they had attacked Rohan, but besieging the white city was more challenging and required much more manpower.
Activating the motors, he waited a little before jumping down from his hiding place and protecting the city. He planned on attacking the front of the armies but no more. If they weren't scared away, he'd wait until they were almost upon him before doing anything. The humans had practically nothing to defeat a single Gundam and he felt it a blow to honour to kill so many when the odds were so unfair. He also could not imagine killing so many people in a single day. It was far more than he had ever done, even when he had destroyed a whole OZ base.
When the troops were just a few minutes before being in sight of the city, Wufei jumped down before the white walls. There was an immediate commotion among then defenders. All had heard about the mysterious giants but they were terrified to have one fall out of the sky before them.
Wufei opened the speakers. He had thought about getting out, but soldiers would probably shoot him the moment he did before recognizing him.
"Lord Aragorn, if you can hear me, please listen carefully. I will hold the attackers off as much as I can. Do not attempt any charge and spare your man and arrows," Wufei instructed. The boy doubted anyone could recognize his voice through the crackling of the speakers, but his words had some effects on the people of Minas Tirith. They looked at the giant doubtfully but with hope clearly painted over their features.
Wufei didn't spare a look behind him as Ineluki's army finally appeared over a small rise not too far away in the plain. He couldn't see the faces but he noticed the hesitation in the mass's movements. He smirked. That would be a battle they'd remember for many years.
He waited for them to come nearer and spotted the man leading them by his peculiar mount and his built. As he raised his Vulcan Guns, he aimed them slightly higher than the General. High-ranked officers were precious for interrogation, if you could make them talk. If any survived the assault, he'd wipe them with his Dragon Hands.
The armies hesitated again as they saw the green giant move, but it took a single blow of the General's horn to have them break into a gallop. Retreating into his combat mode that allowed him to kill without so much as a thought, Wufei opened a first volley of shots.
The bullets swept over the first ranks, leaving few alive and unscathed. Silence fell heavy as the armies from both side stood frozen and staring at the destruction in fear and wonder. Smoke rose from the barrels as Wufei waited for the enemies to move before attacking again. The Vulcans reloaded in a mere second and were ready to let another volley shoot out of their smoking barrels.
The first signs of retreat appeared in the opposite camp. Men started to back away in fear. The General blasted his horn, making his men regroup and form another wave of assault. Wufei looked at the radars and, judging by the number he had eliminated in one shot, calculated that three more like that one would leave Ineluki's forces badly crippled. Minas Tirith would not have any problem holding the siege with that number of men left.
The army started moving again, this time more cautiously. Wufei waited until they were yet a little closer before opening fire. The shots swept the first ranks mercilessly, but before the Vulcans had went through half of their loaded bullets, something like a silver arrow shot towards Nataku. Wufei did not interrupt the attack and had the screen zoom on the thing. It did not appear to be an arrow.
Wufei could finally make out the creature. He nearly interrupted the attack in surprise. It was a small silver dragon that seemed to grow with every second he flew closer to Nataku. Before Wufei realized that it indeed was growing, the beast was half the size of the Gundam and had grown a second head. The dragon crashed against the metal giant with a great roar.
Nataku was nearly pushed down by the impact but it held its ground. The dragon immediately grasped the Gundam, piercing even Gundanium with its powerful claws, and opened its massive jaws as flames gathered at the back of its throats. Wufei braced himself for the attack, as he wasn't able to shake the beast off. A great wall of fire engulfed him, but he was not too worried about them. Gundanium was resistant to incredibly high temperatures.
Nonetheless, warnings about important high temperature levels of the motors flashed around the screen. The Chinese boy cursed under his breath. He did not doubt the beast had the power of a blaster in its belly. Wufei tried to undo the beast's grasp by grabbing it around the wrists. He squeezed them fiercely as he pulled on them. The dragon stopped his fire breathing in a shriek of pain and jumped away from the Gundam.
The boy watched him take to the sky and prepared one Dragon Hand and his Twin Beam Trident. The beast dove with the intention of ramming into the Gundam but with one perfectly aimed swing of his Trident, Wufei got him to stop short. Its massive wings beat furiously, bringing up a cloud of snow. The boy took the opportunity and shot his Dragon Hand. The dragon received the claw square in the chest, making it shriek horribly and fall to the ground.
Wufei noticed at that moment that Ineluki's armies were running past his fight against the dragon and were attacking Minas Tirith. He was about to defend the city when the beast got back on its feet. It stared at the Gundam, perfectly immobile. Its yellow orbs were shining with anger and Wufei recognized the look of an intelligent creature evaluating its opponent.
The boy raised one Vulcan but a second before he shot, the dragon jumped in the air. Wufei cursed. The beast was swift; it would be tougher than he thought to bring it down.
They fought like that for a long time while Minas Tirith was bravely holding off its attackers. Finally, when both sides had reached a critical point, Wufei managed to shoot the dragon in the chest. The beast, which had been in the air, crashed to the ground with a pitiful cry. It struggled to get up and breath fire, but the bullet had hit home. It was loosing its blood at an incredible rhythm, making the white snow become a red sludge. It was a sad image and Wufei stared at it solemnly. Then, suddenly, when before it had been closed to him, the dragon opened his mind and allowed all of his pain, hatred and shattered love to break through the boy's mental defences. Wufei felt them crash into his mind and he almost believed he himself was the dragon. Its pain was so strong that Wufei would not have been surprised if he also had died. But then the animal breathed his last breath. The two heads fell on the ground, the four yellow eyes staring at the boy as if they were still alive. The thoughts Wufei had been feeling not a second ago disappeared and left an empty cold space. It took a few moments for the boy to come back to his senses, but when he did, he turned around to help Minas Tirith.
A few men had noticed the dragon's death and were looking at the corpse in sad admiration but most were too occupied with the battle to notice. Aiming his Dragon Hand at the far end of the line of attackers, Wufei swept the back ranks. Ineluki's men suddenly realized that the giant had its attention back on them, and many ran away. Wufei forced himself to attack until the number of attacker wasn't a threat anymore, then turned to run to Mordor. Even his soldier training could not prevent him from feeling awfully sick at what he had done.
******
Duo took the time to really look at the ruins of Sauron's tower, Minas Morgul. It was a simple pile of black rubble, but he knew the story backing it up and could only feel respect for it.
As the sun started descending, Duo finally reached the ruins. The only resistance he had encountered had been at the Black Gate, but one strike from his scythe and it had crumbled. The few soldiers positioned there had fled for their lives. A few had tried shooting arrows, but if Gundanium could withstand almost all bullets, an arrowhead was not even close to being a threat.
Duo got out of Deathscythe and marched into the enemy base. He kept to the shadows, his training finally being used like before. Most of the chambers were underground and the braided boy guessed that only the high- ranked officers lived there. He had previously spotted establishments farther eastward. Those must have been the settlements of the soldiers.
Because of that and because every man was out against Minas Tirith, Duo did not meet a single soul. He was about to doubt if he was at the right place when he came across a door under which a pale flickering light shone. The boy was debating over how he'd get in when a deep voice called to him from the room.
"Finally. You've been making me wait for a long time. Do come in, it's warmer here, " the voice said as if he was calling for his best friend.
Duo entered but kept his hand on his gun. He was not going to fool around with swords or daggers. As soon as the man had told him where Heero was, he was dead with a bullet in the head.
"If you would please leave your sword and knives near the door. I am unarmed. I simply wish to talk, " the man continued. Duo obeyed without a word. The man did not know about the gun, and, after all, could not.
Duo went to sit before the speaker. He was a tall man with short black hair and piercing brown eyes. He practically radiated with majesty.
"Finally I meet you. It is my pleasure, Duo Maxwell. "
The braided boy jumped in surprise. "How do you know who I am? " he asked worriedly.
"We have met quite a few times already. I am sorry by the peculiar way I left you last time, " he replied in a snickering voice.
Duo suddenly understood. "Tallien? " he asked uncertainly.
"The one and only, " Tallien replied and laughed. "Do not be so surprised! I am not so different in this world. Besides, my Lady must have spoken to you about me a great deal if she knew you talked to me. " He was suddenly very serious and something like anger shone in his eyes.
"Lady? To you mean that woman's voice? " the American boy was getting more and more confused. The normal Duo was slowly taking control again. The man seemed to know things that would be interesting to know. He could not be killed right away.
"She hasn't told you her name? Well, that is fairly unusual. She is Lady Galadriel, the Lady of Lothlorien when it was still existing, " he answered, frankly surprised.
Duo nodded. He knew a little about her from Sam. It was not so surprising that she had been the one to guide him through so many things in her world.
"She never talked about you, " he countered. The boy could not recall a single word about a man.
"She would not have spoken directly, of course. She fancies a legend that she constantly associates with me. It is beginning to be annoying, " Tallien answered with an exasperated shrug. Duo did not miss the hint of anger in his position though.
It was suddenly all clear. Lady Galadriel had spoken about the legend making him see past a man's mental barriers. And then Tallien had said the legend and he were related. The pieces of the puzzle slowly placed themselves together; making a picture that forced the 'dark' Duo back to the far reaches of his mind. He was troubled but what he thought he understood.
Tallien saw the changes of expression pass on the boy's face. His own features grew sombre and anger flared in his brown eyes.
"You know, don't you? The big picture at least, " he said bitterly.
Duo nodded but stayed silent. He knew that the men would tell him the story of his coming to Middle Earth so that the boy would be able to fix the smaller details.
Tallien stood up and leaned against the mantelpiece to stare into the fire. It was the pose he favoured for painful thinking and remembering.
"It really started a few years ago, although some say it began much later. It was an amazing victory from Middle Earth's part to destroy Sauron completely. To the east of here, we Easternmen had only heard rumours about Sauron, but we knew about the extent of his power and feared he'd come to the East after conquering the Middle. When words reached us about his death, we were overjoyed. I was a teenager on the brink of manhood back then, but I remember everything perfectly. We celebrated almost as much as Middle Earth. But then, barely a few weeks after the Dark Lord's fall..."
Tallien paused. His breathing was fast and Duo knew he was prey to vivid memories that caused him great pain.
"Our world started to die. Crops failed, livestock died of unknown sicknesses, and lambs were stillborn. Even fish started to swim in the deep sea, out of our reach. And then the other races we had established peace with started attacking us. The Black Elves were especially ferocious. They, alone, burned the capital to the ground. Then the Icemen raided every farm on their border. But they were not satisfied. They continued south until they had doubled their territory. The world was in chaos. Everyone was turning against each other; allies could not even stand together against the Black Elves or the Icemen. We managed to survive a few years like that, but soon the forests were emptied, the lakes dried up. We had used up every resource our land could give us. "
The King stopped again. His hand was clutched in a fist so tight his knuckles were white and a small drop of blood coursed down his palm.
"I reached manhood in those two years of chaos. At that moment, I felt some power over the land. Like a black cloud, covering the sun and shadowing flowers so that they die slowly. I understood at that moment. Sauron was dead, yes, but his spirit was not totally gone, not yet. He had fled Middle Earth and covered the EsternMore (2) instead. His spirit was stretched thin across the whole country and he was quickly vanishing. He died, finally, but he had killed a whole world with him. I rallied my men and set off for Middle Earth with my mind set on vengeance. We wanted to conquer Middle Earth so that we could establish ourselves here and flourish again. "
Tallien laughed, but it was scratchy and mocking.
"I had thought of talking to the King to make an arrangement, but the fires of hatred and vengeance had been kindled in the heart of every Easternman. The only way we would have this world was by force. We could have, until you and your two friends appeared. I knew then that I had failed, whatever I did. "
The King was staring at Duo intently and with pure hatred burning in his eyes and despair on his face. His skin was a sort of greyish tone and sweat was running down his brow. He had the look of a man who had abandoned living.
The man's gaze turned back to the flames and Duo knew he had finished his story. It was like he had guessed. What the Lady Galadriel had meant to teach him with the legend was that although he was doing it in the worst way possible, Ineluki was making war on Middle Earth for the love of his people and land. It was exactly like the dragoness Lothien who had built the underwater galleries to please her father, but had brought his death instead.
Duo was suddenly stricken with a powerful feeling of pity towards the man. He had done everything for a honourable cause, although the manner of his doing was not excusable. Forgetting for a moment his hate and anger, he moved towards the door. He had barely reached the doorknob when a blade was shoved before his face.
"What do you think you are doing? I am not going to let you go. You have doomed my people! I will take great pleasure in slitting your throat. "
Tallien must have hidden the weapon somewhere in the room, but Duo reacted instinctively. In a mere second, he had pulled out his gun and shot Ineluki square in the chest. The man fell on the ground with a surprised grunt.
"So this is how it ends. Killed by the mysterious weapon of my enemy, " the King rasped with a sad smile. All trace of hatred was gone. He was simply resigned to his death. "Maybe, when I am gone, someone will be able to take over in my steed and accomplish what I could not. " Tallien had been staring at the ceiling but he turned his glazed eyes to Duo. "Please send my apologies to Rear. But also tell him I do not regret anything. "
Tallien took one last shaky breath, then closed his eyes and went limp. The great Sea Lord was dead.
******
Wufei reached Minas Morgul in barely an hour. Fear for his friends had given him wings. He literally barged into the room where Do was kneeling before the corpse of the King. He had placed his sword on him and crossed his hands over the hilt. Wufei, immediately understanding what was going on, knelt beside the braided boy and sent a silent prayer for the fallen. He waited for Duo to speak first.
"He really was a good man, " he finally said. His face was ghostly pale and his voice calm and measured in a way Wufei had learned meant he was in a great emotional turmoil.
Silence stretched another few minutes before Duo finally got up. The Chinese boy had not asked any questions; he knew the braided boy would tell them in time. He understood his friend a little, having himself troubles accepting what he had done at Minas Tirith.
They made their way steadily downward until they came upon two guards. They were quickly disposed of and, grabbing the cells' keys, Duo eagerly entered the dark room.
Heero was leaning against the wall, eyes closed. All traces that he had been in pain were gone. His incredible resistance to drugs had quickly eliminated the poison and he was slowly recovering his energy, although a little food would be welcomed.
When the two boys stopped before his cell, he opened his two magnificent cobalt-blue orbs and stared right at Duo. The boy sighed in long-needed relief and opened the door and entered.
It took Heero merely a few seconds to evaluate the look on his comrades and know the situation.
"It's over, " he stated.
Duo stepped closer and flashed him his brightest smile as he took out his hand to help him up. "You bet it is buddy. Let's go back to our Earth now. "
******* The End *******
I know that Nataku is in Endless Waltz and that they haven't reached that point yet, but I prefer those Gundams. I also used Deatscythe Hell, although it could be any other version. I was not really precise concerning that one. EsternMore is the name of the land in the east, like Middle Earth.
FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, you better believe it, this is the LAST chapter of the story! After a year and a half, I am finally done. Well... almost. There is a small epilogue coming to cover up the last details. It won't take too long, I think, but those who have stuck with me long enough know it's better not to believe that.
A-chan