A/N: Sorry to leave you "hanging" with the last two chapters. I wanted to "set the scene" so to speak before we plunged completely into the thick of battle. I've used mostly the book here with a bit of the movie thrown in.
The battle descriptors are not mine, they are taken from "Chronicles of the Crusades – Eyewitness Accounts" edited by Elizabeth Hallam. All I did was change some of the names and places to suit my purposes. History speaks more eloquently than I ever could.
Norie Ape 1 – most of the last two chapters were from the book – I apologize for not telling you that before.
IwishChan – indeed! And Southrons, and Haradrim, Easterlings and Variags!
Jebb – Yeah, I need to "catch my breath" as well after writing that! Phew! Glad you enjoyed the battle scenes – there's plenty more to come.
Archers of Avalon – er – I don't know if you've made it this far. Hopefully you have. It was rather original when I started it back in - May?
Steff7 – glad to have you back with us! Well, then this! And more to come!
Dazzler420 – yes, you are right – the dryads will join the battle.
For some while the battle swayed to and fro, each side returning blow for blow striving for victory. As the now combined forces of Aragorn, Eomer and Prince Imrahil's men kept up the slaughter, hammering away with their swords, the enemy began to panic and weaken.
Some of the enemy retreated, covered in blood, others, though wounded, rushed on to their death. Bows from Prince Imrahil's men pinned them down; fate tore at them; calamity chewed them up and disaster tainted them but they still fought on, fearing the Dark Lord's wrath more than death itself.
Aragorn passed among the ranks, encouraging the men and promising them victory and even the oath breakers were strengthened by the sight of the true King of Gondor riding among them, exalting them to triumph over the forces of evil.
No matter how hard the enemy fought they were repulsed; no matter how often forces of Mordor rallied, each time they were encircled. Not even an ant crawled out from among them, nor could they defend themselves against the onslaught of destruction. Eomer, Prince Imrahil and the true king of Gondor continued to annihilate the notorious evil and perform many other famous exploits that would be remembered in song long after the day had passed.
As the oath breakers charged toward the walls Minas Tirith, clearing the plain and filling it with the bodies of those they felled, Prince Imrahil's men chased the fleeing enemy, killing Orc, man and beast as they went, fighting a furious battle so that the blood of Mordor flowed all over the battle plain and the great river flowed with blood, red from slaughter.
The crash of metal on metal echoed in Legolas' head as he dispatched the enemy to earth with their dreadful screams pierced by his arrows. He had lost sight of both Gimli and Aragorn but that didn't seem to matter much. For one split second he wondered where Annowe was and he smiled grimly. If she did not appear soon she might miss all the fun!
The elf soon found himself halfway to the Gates of Minas Tirith - the oath breakers had swept forward from the river at an alarming pace setting alight the demons of hell-fire with a blaze of cold steel as they scattered and slew the forces of Mordor and Legolas had quickly followed their path of destruction.
Theoden was terrified as he led his men forward into battle but he assumed the appearance of strength and looked back at his army saying, "if you flee we will fail" and the Rohirrim continued to attack the enemy with vigor not wanting to disappoint their king even though they were sore afraid at the sight and sound of the charging oliphaunts.
Doggedly, Merry guided their speeding horse to stay close to Theoden as his companion continued to thrust and cut at the numerous enemy surrounding them. Although the king had intended to leave him in Dunharrow, Merry still felt a soldier's obligation to protect Theoden and stayed as close as he dared to him.
Suddenly a mounted Nazgul screamed down from the heavens right in front of Snowmane, causing the terrified horse to flip backwards in a frantic effort to escape the monster, inadvertently crushing Theoden under him.
"NO!" Merry heard his companion cry out as he tore the reigns from the hobbits small hands. Their horse skidded to a stop, pitching Merry over the animal's head as the knight leapt off to rush to Theoden's side. Merry rolled over, dazed and confused at this sudden turn of events.
Bloody swords lay scattered around him, metal-tipped arrows, bows and clubs bristling with sharp teeth. Great numbers of the enemy lay dead and mutilated and in their midst Merry struggled to regain his senses and locate Theoden and the knight he had accompanied into battle. The terrifying cries of the Nazgul's flying creature echoed in his head and he instinctively covered his ears to block it out.
He saw the knight slay the flying creature and his heart swelled with pride, making him more determined than ever to do anything he could to destroy the enemy. Eyes wide with horror, Merry watched as the Witch King attacked his riding companion. The knight seemed so pitifully small compared to the Nazgul and Merry wondered how anyone could face such a terrifying creature seemingly without fear.
And then he realized that the knight was protecting Theoden. The king was gravely wounded lying under his dead horse but the knight did not seem to care. Doggedly, he pressed his attack against the ring wraith, determined to preserve the fallen kings dignity if nothing else.
A sound like the rumbling of Mount Doom emanated from the Witch King and Merry realized the devil was laughing. His skin crawled at the unearthly sound and he shivered involuntarily in horror.
"No man can defeat me!" The Nazgul chuckled evilly as it pressed the knight away from Theoden.
"I am no man," came the answer as the shield maiden of Rohan removed her helm to reveal her golden hair and delicate features.
Merry gasped in awe. Eowyn! She had taken him into battle, trusted him with her life and now she was defending her uncle against the most fearsome creature Merry had ever seen. Stunned and quickly filling with admiration for her, he determined that he would not allow her to die. He could not allow her to die. She was too beautiful and too brave to be left on this vile field.
Casting caution to the wind, the hobbit scrambled behind the ring wraith and drove his small sword into the foul being's leg hoping to distract it if only for a moment.
The creature howled in pain and indignation as the cold elven steel pierced its shadowy form. Immediately, Eowyn plunged her sword deep into the Nazgul's helm. With a scream of pain, she let go of the sword, clutching her numbing sword arm to her and crawling to Theoden's side as the Witch King convulsed and groaned in his final throes of his monstrous half life.
Merry watched as the most terrifying of the Nazgul crumpled and degraded into a smoking heap right before his eyes, the monsters dying screams echoing in his head. A cold numbness was creeping up his forearm and he thought the creature had cursed him in its final agony. Quickly he scrambled to Eowyn's side to comfort and protect her if need be.