This is the last chapter of the story. Thanks for reading. ) Please review!
"Where are you, Rasuman?" Saruman shouted as he stormed after his brother.
"Right here," Rasuman replied a bit timidly and came out of a room on the left of the hallway.
"Why in Middle-Earth did you let go of that filthy hobbit's shoulders?" Saruman demanded.
"You would have too!" Rasuman argued, "Don't you know who that was? It was Gandalf!"
"Of course I know who it was, you fool!" Saruman replied.
"What is done is done," Rasuman said, staring at the floor.
"Come," Saruman commanded, "We have work to do."
"Let's see here," Gandalf murmured to himself, looking at the door. "Doesn't look too sturdy." He pushed on the door, which collapsed without difficulty.
"That was easy," Pippin said.
"Yes, too easy," Legolas remarked as he looked around suspiciously.
"It is getting dark," Aragorn observed. "We should rest here for the night, and in the morning we could search the upper floors."
The rest of the group agreed and, after appointing a guard, fell fast asleep.
To their surprise, the night passed peacefully; but Legolas was still wary about what was going on and advised the others to stay on their guard. They slowly crept up the steps, Gandalf leading the way.
"What was that?" Pippin asked Merry softly.
"Nothing," Merry replied, but he too looked a bit nervous.
They finally reached the end of the stairwell and stepped out into the hall. Suddenly, a band of Orcs jumped out from their hiding places and attacked; but the company had heeded Legolas's advice and was ready for whatever was going to come their way.
"Merry, help!" Pippin cried as he was outnumbered by Orcs.
Merry tried to hurry over to Pippin, but he was too late and an Orc stabbed Pippin in his shoulder. Pippin fell to the ground, screaming in pain, while the Orc lifted his sword for a final blow; but before he could land it, he was shot with one of Legolas' arrows and fell to the ground, dead. They rushed to Pippin's side as they slaughtered the few remaining Orcs.
"How do you feel?" Aragorn asked Pippin, about half an hour later, after he had cleaned the wound.
"All right," Pippin replied as he sat up slowly with a painful expression on his face.
"He should rest for awhile," Gandalf said. "We will stay here for the day and tomorrow we will search for Saruman and our friends."
The next morning Pippin felt much better. His wound had not been too severe and almost all the pain was gone. After breakfast, the company continued their search through Orthanc.
"Over here is another stairway leading upwards," Gimli said a little while later.
"Well what are we waiting for?" Frodo asked, "Let's go!"
The group soon came to the end of the stairs and peered out the door.
"There's an eye-opener and no mistake!" Sam gasped as he stared at the huge, elaborate room.
"Come on," Gandalf said, "We don't have the time to simply stand here."
After searching one hall with no success, the party decided to split up, as there were many rooms to be searched and not much time.
"I think I've found them!" Frodo cried a little later on.
His companions hurried down the hall to where he was.
"Frodo, is that really you?" they heard Bilbo's voice call out from behind the wooden door.
"Yes, of course it's really me!" Frodo replied. "But how are we going to get them out?" he asked, turning to Gandalf.
"Just leave that to me," Gandalf replied with a wink. He pointed his staff at the door, while the rest of the group backed away from it.
"Annon edro hi amen!" Gandalf cried in a commanding voice. The door cracked through the middle and fell to the ground.
"Bilbo!" Frodo cried as he ran to embrace him.
For a while the group talked, answering one another's questions. Suddenly, they heard a noise. They hurried to the door and looked out. There was Saruman and Rasuman with a middle-sized company of Orcs and Uruk-Hai.
"Isn't this so sweet?" Saruman asked mockingly.
"Oh yes. Quite sweet indeed," Rasuman replied.
"Saruman, you are a fool!" Gandalf exclaimed.
"Attack!" Saruman commanded his army, his eyes gleaming with rage.
"Elrond, here!" Aragorn said, handing him a sword.
"Bilbo!" Gandalf shouted, "Stay behind me!"
Bilbo obeyed without arguing and cowered close to Gandalf. They fought fearlessly and were soon almost at the door to the stairs leading downward.
"Saruman," Rasuman whispered, "They're… They're winning. They're getting away! We should run before they get us, too!"
Seeing this, Saruman consented and the two cowardly fled. Frodo and his companions finally reached the steps and were soon outside of Orthanc.
The company collapsed by a group of trees, breathing heavily, as Gandalf made certain that they were all accounted for.
"We thank you for our rescue," Elrond said, as he and Bilbo bowed low.
"We're just glad to have you back!" Frodo replied with a grin.
"We had best be off," Legolas recommended.
"Yes, we have a ways to go," Aragorn said, as he stood up.
"I will get you yet!" they heard Saruman cry angrily from a high window, as they began their journey home.