Disclaimers: Once again (and again and again...) I own nothing having to do with LOTR. I own Alina, any original characters/places. Phrases, scenes, etc taken directly from the movie are property of New Line Cinemas. Thanks for the reviews!

Kwannom: It wasn't that mean..... I've got lots more stuff coming that will put you on a "Yay!...Nooooo!...Yay!" roller coaster... Stay with me - I may not dissappoint...

Barbara Marie: Thanks! Hopefully I won't have any that are too terribly lacking in good material! We're in it for the long haul, though...much more to come!

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Chapter 6

The rain poured down, drenching all of the small force that intended to defend Helm's Deep. During the flashes of lightning, Alina could see the army or Uruk-hai coming closer and closer. With a howl from their leader, the creatures stopped, waiting to see who would make the first move. They began pounding their spears onto the ground, growling and howling, trying to intimidate their enemies. Alina drew her bow and fitted an arrow to the string, as did the rest of the archers near her. Suddenly, an arrow was loosed by one of the men, striking one of the creatures.

"Dartho!"9 Aragorn yelled.

The uruks were looking back and forth at each other as their companion fell to the ground. A horrible noise erupted from the massive army, sending chills down Alina's spine. The creatures began to charge forward.

"Tangado a chadad!" 10

The rest of the archers readied their bows. Alina heard Legolas telling his men to aim for the uruks' necks and underarms, as their armor was weak there.

"Leithio I philinn!"11 Aragorn commanded.

Alina fired hers off, killing one of the creatures, not flinching when one of the elven arrows whizzed by her ear. She quickly grabbed another arrow, and fired it off as well. Another perfect shot. Arrow after arrow was let loose, many of the Uruk-hai falling from the skilled aim of the archers. Not enough of them, though. Large arrows suddenly came back toward them, fired from crossbows from below. A man next to Alina was hit. She ducked as another barely missed her, then rose and quickly fired off two more shots.

"Pendraith!"12 Aragorn warned.

"Good!" Gimli yelled. Alina found herself smiling. The poor dwarf was probably feeling left out. Well, now he had a chance to play catch up.

Another arrow flew past her from the ground, grazing her arm which, thankfully, was covered by her chain mail. Angry, she fired an arrow at the culprit. He dropped to the ground, dead. She saw another ladder being raised up against the wall, very near her. It was too late to do anything but sling her bow across her back and grab her sword from its sheath. She met the creature as it came over the wall, sword clanging against its makeshift axe. She swung around, catching the thing off guard as she slid her sword across its abdomen. Blood spilled everywhere.

Alina turned again, barely in time to ward off a blow from another of the Uruk-hai. She gave a fierce war cry, and cut off its head. No time to think, she moved on instinct alone, battling one after the other of the disgusting creatures. Arrows continued to fly up at them from the ones still left on the ground. Men and elves were starting to fall victim to the onslaught. Alina saw another uruk coming at her, and quickly put it out of its misery, the thick foul smelling blood spattering her face. She wiped at it, succeeding only in smearing it more. She heard Gimli, not so far away, yelling.

"Legolas! Two already!"

"I'm on seventeen!" came the elf's reply.

'Not bad,' Alina thought to herself, 'between my arrows and my sword, I have eighteen.' She dodged a blow from another uruk, swinging her sword. "Nineteen!" she and Legolas said at the same time.

She was driven back a few feet by an overly large uruk, and tripped over the body of one of her fallen comrades. She rolled, the creature's axe scraping her mail-clad shoulder. The tip of the pointed end managed to pierce her armor, cutting her. Alina let out another yell as she quickly got to her feet, and her sword went into the opening in its helmet. The uruk screamed and sank to the stone below it. She pulled her sword out, fending off another attack. This one met the same fate as his friends. Alina took a second to look at her shoulder. There was blood, but it wasn't affecting the use of her arm too much. She cursed and went after yet another of the beasts. She glanced toward Legolas and Gimli, who were still shouting out the number they had slain with each kill.

The moment's hesitation was a mistake on Alina's part. An uruk swung a mallet, striking her left arm. Alina screamed in pain, swinging at the cause of her distress with her good arm. Her sword connected yet again, and the creature was no longer a threat to anyone. Holding her injured arm close to her body, Alina pressed on, not willing to let one injury keep her from killing more of the uruks.

Haldir saw her, and forced his way toward her.

"Sut um I naeg?"13 he said, felling another uruk. He looked back at her face, now pale with the pain.

"Amin cuino." 14 She said, stopping another in its tracks.

Haldir nodded, moving to her side to continue the fight. Alina also fought on, slaying three more uruks. Some of the men managed to push down one of the ladders, crushing many uruk in the process. Moments later, another ladder took its place. A cry from Aragorn brought their attention to a group of uruks making their way up the causeway, shields above their heads to stop the onslaught of arrows and stones that rained down at them. Without thinking, Alina sheathed her sword, taking up her bow in her right hand. The pain ripped through her left arm as she stretched it out to hold the shaft of the bow, right arm reaching back up for an arrow. Alina clenched her teeth against the scream that threatened to come forth, instead taking out all of her pain on the creatures below. Arrow after arrow she shot, her aim not as accurate with her injured arm. Haldir continued to fight off those who tried to get near to stop her. Several of her shots hit their mark. Alina took a sharp breath as she saw them coming at the gates with a large tree trunk, intending to break them down. She continued firing, much to the protesting of her injury. She could not let them near.

Haldir had been forced away from her, but others with swords drawn were defending her from attack as her arrows whined in the air. One of the creatures fired back, the arrow glancing off of her helmet. She turned quickly and killed the arrogant creature. Had its aim been any better.... She couldn't think of that now, and continued shooting. A frantic cry came from the other end of the wall. Alina looked down, and saw what Aragorn was shouting about. One of the uruk was carrying a flame, running at the wall right where the culvert was. Alina started, realizing that she wasn't far from the opening in the wall. Legolas was shooting at it, and struck it several times, but the creature kept coming. Alina began to back away, not sure what was going to happen.

A sudden explosion rocked the wall, and Alina was thrown back several feet, crashing down onto the stone walk near Haldir. Large rocks and stones were hurled in the air, dust flying. Haldir bent down and helped her up, his eyes on the hole that had been created in the wall. What happened to the men who were there? Where was Aragorn? Alina stumbled, still in shock from being thown so far in the blast. Water was rushing through the opening, and quickly subsided.

.........

Eowyn jumped at the thunderous noise above them. Until this point, she had been trying to keep so many people calm, she did not realize that Alina was not in the caves with them. Her heart pounded harder as she realized where her friend was.

.........

"Brace the gate!" Theoden shouted as the uruks slammed into the doors.

Alina looked to Haldir, nodding that she was able to stand. Her eyes then went to where Legolas was fighting. He had seen her get thrown in the explosion, and worry clouded his features. She sent him a look that said she was alright, and quickly turned around when she saw his eyes shift to something behind her. Alina grabbed for her knives with sudden speed, slashing the uruk's throat and chest at the same time. She dodged it as it fell. When she looked back, Legolas was using his shield to slide down the steps. She marveled for a second, then had to fend off another uruk. An arrow bouced off the stone next to her feet, another grazed her cheek, drawing blood. She let out another curse, this one worse than the last, and took vengeance on the nearest uruk. Haldir almost seemed to be enjoying himself

"Fall back! Fall back to the Keep!" It was the worst thing for her to hear. Every fiber in her being screamed against it.

"Haldir!" Aragorn yelled, "Nan Barad!"15

Haldir nodded, acknowledging the command. "Alina, tula sinome!"16

Alina tried to call a warning, but it was too late. One uruk came at him, another right behind. The first fell to Haldir's blow, but the second one got its weapon under him, driving it into his midsection.

"Haldir! No!" Alina screamed, rushing towards him. She was delayed by an uruk, her eyes never leaving Haldir as he stood dazed and bleeding, and she killed the creature near her.

"No!" She screamed again as one of the beasts went up behind Haldir and placed its axe in his back. She surged forward, cutting off its head as Haldir sank to his knees, gasping.

"Haldir!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. She knelt in front of him.

"Lirimaer, cuina ile mandah."17 He whispered between weakening breaths. She sobbed as Aragorn came up behind Haldir and caught him in his arms. Aragorn was nearly overcome at grief at the loss of his friend. He looked at Alina, who still had tears escaping from her eyes. He saw a rage there that he had not seen in any woman's face before.

Alina rose, shrieking, and killed three uruks in a row. Aragorn rose, fighting off another uruk that charged at her. He grabbed her before she could continue on with her blind swings and hurt one of their own.

"We must get to the Keep!" He said, pulling her back.

"No!" She yelled, trying to pull out of his grasp. "No!"

Aragorn gripped her harder, and she let out a small yelp. He quickly loosened his grip, but continued pulling her in to the safety of the inner walls.

"Gamling!" he yelled to the captain, "Take her! Get her to safety!"

Alina continued to protest as Gamling led her further into the keep. Aragorn turned and went back, knocking one of the ladders down and riding it to the ground.

"Stay here!" Gamling said, leaving her near the inner ramp which went up to the wall. Alina stood a second, then turned and ran up the ramp, needing to let loose her anger and hatred for the creatures who had slain Haldir, who had been defending her after she was injured.

Alina heard Legolas call Aragorn, and saw him throw a rope over the wall. She rushed to his side, attempting to help pull Aragorn and Gimli to safety with only one arm. He looked back at her for a second, questioning her, then resumed pulling on the rope, hoisting Aragorn over the edge of the wall, then Gimli. Once on his feet, Aragorn saw her; in his eyes was a look of mixed disapproval and gratitude. They ran to the gates of the hall, along with what was left of their men. When everyone was inside, the doors were shored up.

Aragorn and Theoden were arguing, then Theoden agreed to ride out with the heir of Elendil. Alina went for a horse, intending to go with them, but couldn't pull herself up.

"Alina, you must stay here." Legolas said, mounting his own horse. "You can't ride with you're arm so injured. Besides, there will be need of you here if any of the Uruk-hai get passed us."

Alina nodded, her pride hurt for not being able to ride because of her arm. She stepped back, her eyes going to the doors, which were just breeched by the uruks. 'One last time' she thought to her complaining arm. 'This one last time, help me defend these people.' She picked up her bow, wheeled, and sent arrows flying towards the doors, killing several of the uruks. The horsemen rode through the doors, trampling any uruks that got in their way, slaying many as the continued down and then out the main gate and down the causeway.

A few of the uruks did manage to stay out of range of the riders, and came surging through the door. Alina and the few men that were left killed them swiftly, and Alina moved toward the sunlight that was beginning to shine into the ravine. She stepped out, slaying another creature, and made her way down the ramps, killing any uruk that was still moving. Tears once again stained her cheeks, both from physical and emotional pain. Rounding a corner, Alina came across another, rather large uruk. She was surprised to find that this one seemed rather intelligent. It stared at her with menacing eyes, growling as it began to circle her. It had noticed that she kept her left arm close to her – a sign of weakness.

She eyed it carefully, watching for any sign of attack, trying to plan her actions. The uruk charged her suddenly, and she dove to her right, rolling with her sword drawn, and leapt back to her feet. The creature howled at her, and charged again. Alina moved a little too slowly, and it caught her left arm with the blunt side of its weapon. She cried out in pain, slashing at it with her sword. She managed to wound it, but did not slow down its assault. It came at her a third time, and she ducked the swing of its axe. She wasn't prepared for it to swing its other arm at her, and its fist slammed into her helmet. Alina fell to the ground, stunned, her helmet rolling away. The wound on her cheek reopened, and began bleeding again. Her eyes rolled, then focused on the creature above her, which was heaving its axe above its head, about to let it fall right on her. She rolled to her right, pushing her self up with her good arm, and grabbing her knife from the sheath on her leg. As she moved, she dove under the creature, rolling between its legs. The knife impaled itself into the uruk's leg, and it shrieked, turning around. She watched in horror as the beast pulled her knife out of its limb, growling. It came at her again, wielding her own knife and its axe, limping a little. She backed up, thinking of a way to get her sword back, which was now on the ground on the other side of this monster. Again she dropped to the ground, attempting to escape the creature's lunge. She felt a blistering pain as her own knife sliced across her leg, just above her knee. Crawling, she went for her sword, and reached it just as the uruk's axe fell again. She managed to deflect the blow, and struggled to crawl away in the seconds it took for the creature to regroup.

Another searing pain ripped through her right side as the uruk's axe caught her off guard. Fortunately for her, the thing was tiring, still nursing the dripping wound in its leg. The axe didn't get deep enough to reach any organs or bone, but that didn't help the pain much. Alina screamed, rolling onto her left side and thrusting her sword upwards at the beast. She heard a sickening sound as the blade went straight through its stomach. It lurched backward, drawing her up with the force of its retreat, and she used the last of her strength to pull her sword out and behead the uruk.

Collapsing to the ground, Alina swore she heard hoofbeats, hundreds of them. She lay there for a while, pain coursing through her, and darkness threatened to overcome her. She forced herself to a crawl, hoping that someone would see her.

"Final count, forty-two." She heard a familiar voice say proudly after what seemed like an eternity of struggling to remain concious and keep moving.

"Very impressive. I myself am sitting pretty on forty-three." Alina heard the thwack of an arrow.

"Forty-three." Legolas said, the corners of his mouth working as he fought back a laugh.

"That one was already dead!" Gimli yelled.

"It was twitching." Legolas said innocently.

"That's because my axe is embedded in its spine!" the dwarf retorted pulling on the handle and making the limbs twitch more.

"Forty-three is a very worthy number, my lords, however, I myself have a final count of fifty-one." Alina stated weakly, wincing as she pulled herself up onto her knees, using her sword as a brace.

Legolas' smile fell immediately upon seeing her so badly injured. He ran to her and caught her as she fell forward, her body not taking any more of this punishment. Legolas picked her up, carrying her towards the keep. She groaned as the pain overtook her and she lost conciousness.

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[Translations: 9 "Hold!" 10 "Prepare to fire!" 11 "Release arrows!" 12 "Ladders!" 13 "How bad is the wound?" 14 "I'll live." 15 "To the Keep!" 16 "Come on!" 17 "Fair one, live your destiny."

That's it for Chapter 6. Hope you liked it. It was much longer than other chapters, but, once again, I couldn't bear to break it up. R&R.