AN: Ok, I purposely delayed posting "Spellbound" so that both sides of the mirror could have chapter 6 up together. So be sure to check out "Spellbound", my HP/SM fic about what would have happened if Cosmos, not Chaos, won the battle from the first chapter. (/end promotional announcement)
Now, a lot of you have been asking when Usa will appear in this fic. Well, remember, all the Seeds must be gathered before the ninth shall appear. I promise I have a really cool entrance planned for her-- I've been thinking about it for ages! makes me so excited-- but it probably won't happen until chapter 11 or 12. Hang in there, Usa fans! The wait won't be so bad, I promise! And I'll try to make it earlier if possible, but a lot of stuff has to happen first.
Wonder what I'm gonna do after Usa appears. That has been the big highlight and climax in my mind. heh.
And since it's been two months (ok, almost three), Last Time: Glorfindel and the twins were on the Sea, bearing the Seed of the Seas. Sam and Frodo entered the Dead Marshes. Merry and Pippin ran around with the Ent Draught and caught sight of the senshi of the Forest. Mars entered and led the way through the Marshes, with Saturn hiding them in darkness and Uranus blowing away the deadly fumes. The three, which are captives of Sauron, promised to protect the hobbits and help of their mission.
Now onto chapter 6! Prepare for a nice long chapter! w00t!
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The gulls were silent above Mithlond, the last Haven of the Elves. Cirdan walked upon the silent street among silent buildings. His heart was troubled, and his foresight failed him.
He had sent Glorfindel and the sons of Elrond upon the wild Sea. Mirengaer was a good craft and Glorfindel, if he remembered his youth, was a good seaman. But was it enough?
For the Winds had been taken. That much was clear to Cirdan. He drew his cloak closer as another gust of icy air blew in from the East- the unnatural wind, especially when so near the Sea. The Wind of Mordor.
But what is the Sea without the Wind? Since the dawn of time, the two elements have always been united. The breeze in the sails. The current through the water. The storm upon the ocean. Without the Wind, the Sea is merely a large puddle of water.
How could he have believed that the Sea could stand now that the Wind had fallen into Darkness?
The cold wind blew again, and the old streamers of the city fluttered eerily. The once great city of the Mariners was empty. All, except a handful of sailors for the last journey preparations, had sailed home to the Blessed Realm. The city of his glorious design was now only a memory.
The cold wind blew strong, and at last came the cry he had been waiting for. The cold, hateful, frightening cry which fills the hearts of many with dread. Cirdan turned slowly, a grim smile upon his face. He had not lived through all the Ages of the world to quail before such creatures of long forgotten men. They would come, yes, and they would destroy what they could, but they would not find It. They would demolish the few remaining ships and leave much of the Havens in ruin, but they would know that what they sought was beyond their grasp.
But then they would set out, across the open waters, and Mirengaer and her passengers would be at their mercy.
The cry sounded through the sky again, and the stones of Mithlond as the horrible winged creatures came into view. Cirdan sent a silent desperate prayer to Uinen, the Lady of the Waters, to watch over the trio bearing the great burden.
Then the Nazgul fell upon the Grey Havens of the Elves.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
The Sea whipped around Glorfindel like a wild beast with massive waves threatening to overwhelm the small ship. Glorfindel spat out salty water as he struggled to keep hold of the tiller and keep the boat from being smashed into the shore. It had been many Ages since he had experienced a storm such as this.
The twins were yelling something as they tried to keep the sail taunt, but the wind blew their voices back into their throats.
Glorfindel glanced at the sky, which was black as night, though it was the middle of the day. The seagoing had been fair thus fair, but this wild storm had come out of nowhere. On the water, most of the waves leapt up even higher than the ones around the ship. The waves seemed to jump up more than twenty feet into the sky, as if trying to knock something out of the air. He had never seen anything like it.
Then Glorfindel remembered the weight kept safely within his inner pocket. The Seed of the Sea. The ocean would not harm its own keeper. Instead, it was protecting them, lashing back at some menace in the air.
But what? For days they had felt safe and isolated upon the open water. They hadn't seen a soul, save the gulls above and the fish below. Despite this simulated sense of safety, had some servant of the Enemy found their way to the Seed?
Glorfindel did not have to wait long for an answer, as a heart-shaking cry filled the air.
The Nazgul of Mordor had come at last, upon the wings of the Wind.
The Sea lashed back with renewed efforts, even more wildly than before, trying to strike the beasts of the air. Glorfindel struggled to remain upright as the boat was tossed from side to side while sped through the water.
Yet the Nazgul would not let water overcome them again. The three beasts flew deftly between the wild waves, zipping this way and that, and moving in for the kill.
Glorfindel entrusted his life to the Sea and let go of the tiller. The twins followed suit, and in a moment all three were aiming their bows as best they could on the rocking boat, and arrows were flying through the salty air.
The monsters screamed and wheeled up higher. Waves leapt up to overwhelm them, but gravity pulled the water back down.
"Don't shoot until you the monsters are directly on top of us," hollered Glorfindel among the roaring Sea. The unpredictable Enemy wind blew away their noblest attempts, and they had brought too few arrows to waste them that way.
Above, a sharp cry signaled the Nazgul's descent. The three elves grimly pulled out long daggers.
The Nazgul fell like bullets. In an instant, they were upon the ship among the smaller waves. The Sea gave up its protection in favor of survival and lashed back with full might upon the ship and the Nazgul. Yet the dragons were deft creatures rising quickly to escape the water, and diving twice as fast. Their claws were deadly as they sought to capture and kill all three Elves within their grasp.
Elladan was like a machine with his double swords, flailing and slicing and whacking anything he could. Glorfindel couldn't tell what was struck, but soon the black blood of the dragons became intermixed with the salt of the Sea. Elrohir, more comfortable with the bow and with a dagger easily accessible, steadied himself on the edge of the boat and aimed for the monsters' clawed feet and eyes. The creatures howled in anguish as he blinded several of them, and their feet were like pincushions.
But the Nazgul did not stop. At one point the dragons caught Elladan by the shoulders and lifted him into the air, and despite his wild movements with his swords, desperately trying to hack off the dragons' feet, he could not free himself. Elrohir aimed for the thin wing sinew while Glorfindel vaulted across the ship to save the elven teen. The beast faltered and screamed in agony as its wing ripped, but Elrohir did not relent. Glorfindel leapt off the ship and grabbed one of the clawed feet which held Elladan in the air.
Glorfindel's sword was old, but it was forged by the Dwarves of Old and its strange steel remained strong and sharp. He hacked once, twice at the brutal clawed foot of the monster, and the foot was sliced free from the body. Elladan, even from his awkward state, had already cut halfway through the other foot, and it took only one stroke from Glorfindel to free them. They plummeted down, into the Sea. The monster and Nazgul alike screamed in agony.
Splash! The two bodies plummeted downward into the silent blue waters, dimly aware of the battle and rage that continued far above. But the Sea would not let two of her defenders die in such a way. Shaking off the pain and dreadful stinging of several wounds inflicted by the brutal claws of the dragons, the two swam upward toward the black sky.
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With a gasping breath, they broke the surface and returned to the frenzy. Upon the boat, Elrohir, wielding his dagger, seemed almost overwhelmed by the three beasts. He would not let them touch his shoulders, but there were wounds and blood across his face and body and his breathing was heavy. Glorfindel and Elladan quickly vaulted onto the rocking ship to aid him, wild the waves tossed wildly.
"Go for the wings!" cried Glorfindel against the roaring ocean as he and Elladan grabbed their swords and fought the monsters away from Elrohir. With some sort of strategy now in mind, Elrohir pulled out his bow again and aimed solely for the dragons' eyes and wings, hoping to tear the delicate sinew. Glorfindel and Elladan wielded their swords wildly and sliced off any claw that tried to grab one of the elves. They also raised their swords high and sliced at the wings whenever they were within arm's reach, ducking from the Morgul blades of the Ringwraiths and trying to remain steady as wave after wave swept over the small craft.
At last the dragons could fly no longer. The waves threatened to overwhelm them, and their seemed to be a hint of fear in the cries of the wraiths. The wounded dragons pulled up as high as they could (only just clearing the high waves) and made for the solid land of the shore. The Nazgul cried angrily as they left, and the elves knew that they would surely return with new beasts.
The dragons, however, could go no further. One, with both feet gone and wings in tatters-- Glorfindel thought this might have been the one that tried to lift Elladan-- fell into the waves, unable to even reach the nearby shore before succumbing to death. None could be sure what happened to the wraith upon its back. Another dragon, blinded in both eyes and with only one usable wing, collapsed upon the shore. The third managed to keep flying, but only barely. The elves doubted it would be able to go much further, and the Nazgul would have to walk back to Mordor. Somehow, this thought was quite amusing. They broke out into laughter as the Sea calmed.
But none had realized how near the storm and the battle had brought them to shore. Elrohir turned amid the laughter and suddenly his face changed to horror. "Glorfindel! The rocks!" he cried suddenly.
For indeed, they were almost on top of the rocky shoreline now. Glorfindel leapt for the tiller as the twins tried, in vain, to do something with the tattered sail. But even as Glorfindel turned the boat away, the rudder struck a rock below the water and broke with a sickening snap.
The entire ship and her passengers shuddered. Glorfindel prayed to Elbereth that the Wind of Mordor might not return so soon, with them so vulnerable and with no way to steer. The twins looked unsure and almost fearful.
"Go see if you can find any oars below," said Glorfindel with a sigh. "We need to find some sort of sheltered cove where we can spend the night. We can't go any further on the open sea before we mend this craft."
The sky had returned to blue with the sun low in the sky, and the waves lapped the shore with the low tide. The rocks seemed to stretch far into the distance. Glorfindel sighed to himself and prayed for fair seas. It was time to teach the twins how to row.
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-o-o-o-o-o-o-
They were through the Marshes.
The final murky pools thinned out to bogs and finally to mere soggy ground as the hobbits climbed gradually uphill. At last, at the peak of the climb, the mud dried up as well, leaving only hard solid ground and wonderful sharp stones. The hobbits fell to the ground in exhaustion and breathed freely. They were out of the infernal bog, but Sam feared that the stench would never wholly leave him.
"Look," called one of the senshi, after a brief rest that seemed far too short.
The hobbits wearily peered around the boulder which concealed them, and gasped at the terrible sight. Among the mountains before them rose the dreaded Teeth of Mordor, the black watchtowers of Sauron, their shadows stretching long across the plain. And set between them stood the menacing Black Gate of Mordor, like a wall of unconquerable stone.
At that moment, feeling the pain of how far they had come and seeing the hopelessness before them, the hobbits almost quailed and turned back. But hobbits are made of sterner stuff than that. They grimaced, gulped, tightened their belts, steeled their wills, and prepared to face the menace.
A wave of emotion passed over the hobbits as they felt the senshi of Darkness speak. "Do not despair, Little Ones. The way is grim, and only grimmer as you continue forward. But take hope and know that we will be with you, showing you the way."
"There is another road," said the senshi of the Skies, standing tall and her eyes distant. "A secret, forgotten path by the Tower of the Moon." Then her eyes darkened and she frowned angrily. "But no, Sauron has befouled Minas Ithil, and that path ends in a way even darker than the Gate before us." The hobbits shuddered.
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"Where is Sailor Mars?" asked Frodo suddenly. And indeed as Sam spun around, she was nowhere in sight.
The other senshi seemed unconcerned. "She has done what she can. Sauron is concocting some new devilry, no doubt. Even as a memory unseen by most, her soul is bright, and she knows that stealth, darkness, and secrecy are needed through Mordor. She will return when the time is right." Behind the Gate, a great tongue of fire seemed to leap up from Mount Doom. The hobbits looked away in fear.
"Now listen close, hobbits," said Sailor Saturn, calling their attention again, "for it may be a long while before we are able to speak freely again. The Gate of Mordor is watched day and night, with Silent Watchers always vigilant. Yet with our powers aiding you, you may be able to sneak by unnoticed." Sam gulped nervously at this idea, but Saturn ignored him and continued. "Many strangers are filling Mordor, answering Sauron's call and marching up from the South. A great war is brewing, and the Haradrim are a numerous people that loyally support the Dark Lord. One such host is approaching as we speak; Uranus estimates that they will be here by twilight. When the Gate is opened to admit these foreigners, you will secretly join this company. Your cloaks will help you blend into the rock, Uranus will confuse the winds and blow away your sound and scent, and I will mask you in shadow. Once inside, you will enter Udun."
Frodo nodded grimly, but Sam's face was muddled in confusion. The strange spirit of Saturn smiled. "You would do well to study the regions of the Enemy land more closely, Samwise Gamgee. But alas, you are far from the wisdom of Rivendell. Udun is a gap between the mountain ranges of Mordor. It is guarded by gates at both ends of the pass-- the Morannon and the Isenmouthe. Udun will be crowded with foreigners moving both ways on the road, and many more camped in the hostile area around it. March hard and fast through the night, but by day find cover in a ditch near the road and rest; most are filled with thickets, and though painful, these will hide you best. By night you must hurry once more, preferably finding another group of Haradrim to follow. You will reach the Isenmouthe, the second gate and the great crossroads of Mordor. There will be great confusion among different companies going different directions. Use this to your advantage as you disappear through the Gate to the plateau of Gorgoroth. From there, you will know what to do." The senshi of Darkness looked grimly towards the tongues of fire which leapt up from the distant Mount Doom.
Sam peered around the boulder and looked at the invincible Gate again. He gulped and tried to shake away the growing anxiety of trying to sneak into such a steeled land. Frodo's face was unreadable in the fading light, but clearly pale below the grime and strain.
"We cannot make you invisible," added Uranus, trying to give them reassurance, "but we will do all in our powers to help you. We will not be able to appear in our visible forms often from now on, but we will always be nearby-- watching, guiding, and guarding as best we can. It is a heavy and terrible thing that you carry, Frodo Baggins, a thing of great power despite its size. But take comfort and know that there are others who carry such things, others who are suffering as we speak to keep such things safe." The eyes of the Senshi of the Skies were distant once more, but Frodo could have sworn he heard a strange sound blown suddenly on the wind. A roaring sound, and the echo of some lonely bird winging through the air.
Slowly he drifted back to the boulder and the Gate before them, and instead heard the heavy marching of a hundred feet. The sun had fallen behind the mountains when the host of Haradrim came into sight. Their faces were hidden behind grim helmets and strange banners, but they were a fearsome warlike people. Same drew his cloak tighter around himself and wished desperately for the courage to see this through.
The two senshi stood at their sides, but as the Haradrim approached, they slowly faded from view. Sam almost cried out in fear of being left alone among such people, but Saturn smiled as she faded completely. "We are with you."
The Haradrim were near. The hobbits stood up slowly, hidden under the hood of their cloaks, and carefully crept down the hillside. Sam slipped on the loose stones a few times, but the sound seemed strangely quiet and the rocks stilled themselves quickly. Frodo trusted himself to the instincts of a well-footed hobbit, as little could be seen in the twilight.
They were on the road. They stood still and silent as the Haradrim passed, unmoving as shadows. Then as the last stranger marched by, Frodo and Sam moved quickly. Their hearts were racing as they hurried to keep up with the marching men. The Gate was open, but how soon until it closed? In anxiety and fear and eagerness, the hobbits almost forgot their caution. But they stayed by the walls of the mountains where the shadows were the darkest, and none noticed the small creatures.
The front of the Haradrim had reached the Gate. They had not stopped and continued marching steadily onward. Now the middle section was within the land. Now only a few men remained within sight...
Frodo and Sam scrambled forward and lunged through the gap between the mountain and the metal. Even as they moved they heard the gears shifting above as the great trolls pulled the massive door shut.
Boom! It was closed, an endless wall of black iron behind them. They were within the Land of the Enemy, and there was no turning back.
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.AN: Ok, that deserves a cheer. Nine pages, folks!!!!! :D Go me! Felt good to write too. Glorfy continues to rock my socks. Can't wait till next time for his part, whee! :D v. excited. Now, Review Responses:
Empress Blade- ::blushes:: Thank you! And yes, Eomer must be paired. I'm not letting him marry some unknown chick from Gondor, mwhahaha! :D Probably with Mako or Mina... hmm...
TsukiYami- Yay!!! Thank you so much!
Eyes-of-Pearl- hehe, I have something very unique planned for Usa. Big secret, sorry. But yes, still working on planning these anti-cliched couples. ;D
M.J.- eep! Sorry that there's been such a lack of Ami. She'll be back in as soon as possible.
Hikari Yume- hehe, if you're a Silmarillion fan, then you'll love what's coming next time. I've been jumping up and down for ages, waiting to introduce this character that wanders the shores.... EEE!!! :D
firemisstress47- Haldir! Now there's a guy I should try to bring into this fic... somehow. Not sure how hmm. I'll have to think about that lol.
Jewels14- Minako/Faramir... hmm.. Mina does seem like Eowyn in many ways, but I admit, I'm a hard core E/F shipper and I couldn't break them up. Honestly, I think I value their pairing even more than A/A! ::cowers from flying vegetables::
angelwings6117- That would be really cool if Mina's seed was in Arwen's necklace! (I actually almost put Ami's Seed in Spellbound in Hermione's necklace, but I changed my mind). But I already mentioned (briefly) that Saruman has the Seed of Heart and the Seed of Ice. :( And Pluto's seed... oh jeez, now you have me second guessing myself. Well, her seed will show up next time, but there's something else about Lorien... ::wink::
Kitoky- hehe, notification rocks. VIP status, w00t!
Black Mage of Darkness- LOL!!!! "They were good after all!" Maybe I will have Mako show up and say "Yo, Treebeard, lemme go dude!" We'll see lol...
Shinia- hehe, I actually have had thoughts of a Usa/Frodo fic. But that's not gonna work out for this one. And check out the note at the beginning for when she'll probably show up. :D
Vittaria- LotR Plaza? Sounds kewl, will have to check it out! Thanks so much!
Thank you also to:
SJ
Angelic Master
koldy
datajana
honey-gurl
Moonprincess202Thank you so much everyone! Keep sending those ideas and suggestions, though I admit that I've got a lot of stuff preset. Thank you for all your dedication; your reviews continue to fill the ink of my pen. :D Till next time, ja ne minna-chan!
-Calli-chan