An- YEAH! New chapter! Hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 46
Erin felt her heart leap into her throat as she watched frozen as Gollum rushed off towards Frodo, her baby son unsafely bouncing in the creature's arms.
Sam lunged for him, not even realizing that Gollum was carrying Elijah. When he saw the screaming baby, he stopped himself with a gasp, his eyes widening in both horror and surprise. Frodo was halfway up the mountain; unaware of the danger his son was in.
Suddenly, Erin's paralysis was broken and anger over took her fear. How DARE that monster touch her baby!
Somewhere between her maternal instincts to protect her child and her fury, she pulled the small sword she had received in Lothlorien but never used, out of its sheath and charged at Gollum.
She lashed out and cut him in the back of the leg. He stumbled forward with a cry of pain. Elijah howled and screamed, being brought with Gollum. Sam dashed forward and grabbed Elijah from Gollum's arms before he hit the ground. Sam pulled the baby into him incase Gollum went for him again. He expected Erin to rush to him and take Elijah back into her arms, but that wasn't the case.
Fury danced in Erin's teals eyes and instead of rushing to Sam, she dropped her sword to the ground with a clatter and dove at Gollum. She landed basically on top of him and with a cry, she took him by the neck and bashed his head back into the rocks below.
" You bastard!" she screamed, balling her hand into a fist and bringing it down into Gollum's face, " You bloody bastard! If you ever touch my baby again, I'll KILL you!"
Sam was too shocked by Erin's outburst to even react. He had never seen Erin even this remotely angry. She looked to be crazy…wild even. It was like she had become an entirely different person…no longer the clam and wimpy Erin she was, but dangerous, angry and violent.
" Erin!" Sam cried, dropping his shock and rushing towards Erin, " Stop! Erin stop!"
She gave no notice that she had heard him, and kept punching Gollum. There was a loud and sickening crack from Gollum's face and he shrieked in agony.
I think she broke his nose…Sam thought in horrified awe and then moved again. He pulled Erin off of Gollum, and was shocked to see his face…what Erin had done to his face. It was bleeding, swollen, bruised and malformed. He felt his stomach churn…not for pity for Gollum, but the realization that Erin had done this, the same Erin he had been with all this time and had never seen this side of her…
" That bastard!" Erin cried, lunging again at Gollum, but Sam held her back (while still holding the screaming Elijah), " He tried to hurt my baby! He could have hurt my son!"
" Erin! Calm down! Calm down!" Sam screamed, trying to clam the hysterical woman down, " There isn't time! We need to help Frodo!"
Something clicked in Erin's mind and she looked back to where the door leading into the mountain was. Frodo was just passing through the door.
" Give me Elijah…" she whispered, finally calmed down. She took the baby into her arms and hugged him tightly into her.
" I'm so sorry I let him take you…I'm so sorry," she whispered, trying to soothe the screaming baby.
" Come on, we have to help Mr. Frodo!" Sam told her, already pulling ahead.
Erin stole one more hateful glance at Gollum, who was still withering in pain on the ground, and raced up the rest of the mountain.
l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l
" The Nazgul are here!"
Niori heard Carla cry out that warning and turned her eyes skyward to see the numerous black riders upon their dragons soaring through the sky.
Lovely…this is just going to make this so much funner! Niori thought sarcastically, turning focus back to the Orcs around her.
The battle still seemed hopeless. There were too many Orcs and not enough good guys. She just hoped that this was giving Frodo, Erin and Sam the time to destroy the ring…
Suddenly, there was a deafening Nazgul screech from what seemed to be right behind her. Dropping her sword to her side, Niori whipped around to see as one of the Ringwraith's dragons dove directly towards her.
Her sword dropped from her hand as she rose her arms in front of her in some dire attempt to defend herself. Moments later, she felt her arms being clamped on to painfully and herself being ripped off the ground.
She gave a cry of both pain and horror as she felt herself being lifted higher into the air. An arrow whizzed by her, but missed the thing that carried her.
With a cry, Niori reached down into her boot and pulled out the small dagger that she had acquired in Minas Tirith and stuck it into the creature's leg. The dragon-thing gave a cry of pain and it's clutch on Niori's dropped.
Niori was thankful that the thing had dropped her…until she realized just how far off the ground she was. Her eyes widened in new fear and she let out another scream as she plummeted to the ground. She snapped her eyes shut as the ground swiftly came up to meet her.
Suddenly, her slender body connected with the hard ground and one wave of immense pain shot up through her. One small gasp of surprise passed from her lips before the abyss of black over took her.
l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l
Erin and Sam raced up the side of the mountain. Finally they reached the door and passed into the very heart of Mount Doom.
The first thing Erin felt was the blasts of unbearable heat that hit her. She actually took a step backwards as it hit her and covered Elijah's face with his blanket to keep it from feeling the searing and painful heat.
Then, she saw Frodo, standing at the very edge of the rocks over the lava pit. He held the chain with the ring on the end over the rocks. His head was tilted to one side and he looked at the ring with glazed over eyes.
" Throw it in the fire Frodo, destroy it!" Sam cried from beside Erin.
Erin didn't say anything. She looked at Frodo, knowing that something was desperately wrong with him. There was something in his eyes…like he was fighting some sort of battle and losing…
Something's wrong…Erin started to think, but the thought was cut off as she realized exactly what was wrong.
" Oh my God Sam…" she spoke in one gaspy breath, " The ring's trying to make him take it! To not destroy it! It's latching on to Frodo's last bit of sanity and trying to get him to claim it as his own!"
Sam's eyes widened in horror and he turned back to Frodo.
" Frodo! No! Destroy it!" Sam screamed desperately.
Slowly, Frodo turned around and stared at Erin and Sam. He no longer looked as he should, he looked possessed…the ring had finally taken control of him…
" The ring is mine!" he spoke, his voice calm yet dangerous.
" Frodo…no!" Erin whispered to herself in horror, knowing now that all hope was lost.
l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l
Carla watched in complete horror as the Nazgul lifted Niori violently off the ground. She heard her cousin scream in terror and struggle against the creature's hold on her.
" NIORI!" she screamed, looking around frantically for someone…anyone (!) who had a bow (her's had been lost at Pelannor and she couldn't use one with one arm anyway) to shoot that damn thing down so it's let her go.
" LEGOLAS!" Carla screamed out frantically, pointing to the sky where the Nazgul was, " HELP HER!"
Legolas looked up to the sky with a confused expression, but when he saw exactly what was happening, his mouth fell open in shock and faster than light, pulled an arrow from his quiver and shot it up into the sky.
It missed its target, but moments later, Niori did something to cause the thing to let her go and she plummeted to the ground.
With a small cry of fear, Carla bounded across the battlefield to where her cousin had landed, having to kill a few foes as she went. Finally, she came to her.
Niori was lying face down on the ground, unconscious.
" Niori!" she cried, leaning down beside her cousin, yet keeping her guard up incase any were to attack her.
The other girl gave a groan as Carla flipped her on to her back and her eyelids fluttered a bit.
" The eagles! The eagles are here!"
As the Hobbit's voice rang out, Carla looked up to the sky to see as the huge ass eagles attacked the Nazgul. She gave a bit of a sigh, knowing that was at least one thing they wouldn't have to worry about anymore.
There was another groan from below her, and she turned around to find Niori sitting up on her hunches, rubbing her temples and looking around in a daze.
" What…where the hell am I!"
Carla didn't reply, but pulled Niori to her feet.
" Use your bow to shoot the bad guys!" was all Carla said before she got swept away into the battle, leaving Niori standing there puzzled.
l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l
Erin stared in horror as Frodo pulled the ring off its chain and slowly started to put it on.
" Frodo no!" she cried desperately, praying to God that she could reach him through the ring's power over him, " If you claim the ring, then you're condemning us all to death! You'll kill us all, Elijah included! I love you Frodo, please don't do this!"
Something flickered momentarily in Frodo's eyes, but it was soon smothered by the same cold look of moments before.
" No Erin, the ring is MINE!" he spoke, slipping the ring on to his finger.
Erin felt tears stinging her eyes. She hadn't been able to save him…to stop him. Her love hadn't been enough to over power the ring…their son hadn't been…
" NO!" Sam cried.
Suddenly, Erin felt herself being roughly pushed to one side. She flew sideways and hit the rocky walls. Pain shot up her body for a moment and her vision clouded. After the moment of pain was gone, she looked up to see Gollum hitting Sam in the back of the head with a rock. The small Hobbit fell to the ground with a groan and Gollum leaped into the air.
For a moment, Erin thought that Gollum was actually floating in midair…then she realized he was actually struggling with Frodo, who was now invisible.
" Oh my God!" she screamed, " Frodo!"
l.l.l.l.l.l.l
Niori had broken out of her daze as the Orcs rushed towards her. She was forced to use her bow, as she had lost every other weapon she owned.
Above her, she saw the Nazgul sharply take off back towards Mordor. She thanked God, knowing that that big problem was gone. She knew that she'd be having nightmares about those things for the next ten year…that was, if she survived this.
She kept fighting, realizing all the while that pretty damn soon she'd be arrowless and without any way to defend herself. Then she'd REALLY be dead…
She just happened to look over in time to see Aragorn get thrown to the ground by a huge troll thing in freakin armor.
That thing is fucking huge! Niori thought, realizing that Aragon needed help…and now!
She tried to aim her bow at the creature, but there was too many in her way…she couldn't hit it.
Oh my God…she thought desperately, attempting to move but finding that too many were gathered around her, that thing's going to kill him…
l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l
She watched in horror as Gollum struggled in the air, knowing that it was Frodo he was struggling with.
Suddenly, Frodo cried in pain and became visible again. Gollum jumped off him and Frodo pulled one of his hands against his cheat, screaming. He fell back, still clutching his hand, back beside Sam. Erin fell down to her knees beside him, and stared in horror at the bloody stump was where one of Frodo's fingers should have been.
" Frodo! Oh my God!" she cried, feeling her stomach lurch just looking at his hand. Elijah was screaming again, but Erin was too captivated by the gory mess that was Frodo's hand.
Yet Frodo didn't even look at her, nor at Sam. He stared hatefully ahead oh him, where Gollum was dancing happily with the ring in one hand.
Then suddenly, before Erin could stop him, Frodo leapt up from the ground with a savage cry and went for Gollum.
" No!" Sam cried from beside her, but Erin was left horror struck. Frodo had lost a finger, yet the ring still had full control of him.
Frodo and Gollum fought over the ring, each one grabbing at the tiny object brutally until they both went over the edge.
l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l
Carla watched with complete and utter horror as Aragorn was beat down. But she both like Niori and Legolas, couldn't get to him…
" Oh my God!" Carla dried, trying to force herself to where Aragorn lay defensively on the ground. Then, the creature lifted its weapon and readied itself to bring it down into Aragorn.
"No!" Carla cried, knowing that she, and the others, were too late.
l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l
Erin screamed louder than she had ever in her life as she saw Frodo tumble over the edge of rock down towards the lake of lava below.
Sam at first stood looking horror struck, but then he rushed forward and dropped down to his stomach at the edge of the rocks. Erin started to rush to the edge also, but Sam called out to her.
" No! Stay where you are! The rocks are unsteady and you could fall!"
Erin wanted to argue and rush to the edge anyway, but she had Elijah to think about. She'd risk her own life for Frodo, but she couldn't risk her son's.
" Give me your hand!" she heard Sam scream and felt her heart lurch with hope.
Frodo was alive…
" Don't you dare let go!" Sam screamed again, and Erin knew something was horribly wrong…Frodo was considering dropping!
Frodo, who hung on to the ledge, looked up at Sam, trying to decide if he would let himself drop or take his friend's hand.
Then, Erin suddenly appeared above Sam. Her face was dirty, tear streaked and had dried blood all over it. Her hair was grimy and unkept, and she was ragged…yet she still looked beautiful to him…
And he had chosen taking the ring's seduction opposed to her love…to her and Elijah.
" Don't you dare leave me Frodo Baggins!" she spoke, her voice soft yet powerful, " Don't you let yourself fall and leave me without you and Elijah without a father!"
At that moment, he made his decision. He couldn't leave them…he loved them too much…all three of them. Sam, Erin and Elijah…his family…
With a cry, Frodo brought up his free hand and Sam grabbed hold, despite the fact it was bloody and slippery. Sam pulled him up on to the ledge. Frodo lay there for a moment, panting heavily.
The mountain was falling down all around them.
" We have to get out of here!" Erin cried, pulling Frodo to his feet, " The whole place is coming down!"
They rushed towards the exit, everything falling down around them, knowing that they had done it.
The one ring was destroyed.
l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l
Time seemed to stop for Niori as she stood watching Sauron's forces fled and the
Land of Mordor crumbled in before her very eyes.
At first she didn't understand what was going on. She watched as the tower of Barad-dur started to crumble to pieces, the eye of Sauron falling with it.
She barley realized as Carla came to stand beside her, the same of expression as on the other girl's face.
" They did it…" Niori whispered quietly, not totally understanding the words as they passed from her lips, " THEY DID IT!" she screamed out the last part for all to hear.
The eye of Sauron exploded, sending a giant shock wave of power through his lands, causing the very ground to fall into itself.
There were cries and cheers from everyone. Both Merry and Pippin let out cries of " Frodo!". The Black Gate itself crumpled into the sinkhole of Mordor, taking any Orcs that were left, with it.
Niori turned to Carla, a small smile upon her lips. They shared their thoughts through the look. Frodo had done it, Erin had done it. They had destroyed it.
Then suddenly, Mount Doom's top exploded into a fiery mess. Everyone's joy died as they realized Frodo, Sam and Erin were still there…
" Erin…" Niori whispered the other girl's name within a gasp.
There was silence…no one spoke; only looked on, their hearts darkening.
" NO!" Niori screamed out in grief, falling to her knees and covering her mouth to keep in her sobs as tears stared to pour from her eyes. Unable to hold in her sobs any longer, Niori fell down even further and buried her head into her knees. Carla fell down beside her cousin, her own face grief stricken and tear streaked, and hugged Niori.
The others looked on at the girls, wanting to help console, but too caught up in their own grief to do so.
l.l.l.l.l.l.l.l.ll.l.
They had managed to make it to a large rock that was out of the flow of the lava. Erin sat on the rock with tears running down her face.
She was going to die. Elijah was going to die. They were all going to die.
She looked down at the baby in her arms and felt her eyes sting even harder. She would die a hundred, horrible deaths, just to save her son. If only there was someway that she could ensure Elijah would live.
" It's over…it's done," Frodo spoke, his voice as if a giant weight had been lifted off him.
Erin looked at Frodo and realized what he had done…what they had accomplished. They had saved Middle-Earth.
Erin thought of her three friends who were somewhere else in Middle-Earth. Now, they would be able to stop fighting and to live here in peace. Carla would be able to annoy the hell out of anyone in Middle-Earth forever, Jane would been able to swoon over Aragorn without worrying if she would die soon, and Niori and Legolas could have a bunch of cute little half-Elf kids together. They could all live in peace in happily ever after land.
And we get to die, Erin thought, feeling a sob threatening to break through her.
" I'm so sorry this must be your fate also," Frodo turned to look at Erin with tears whining in his blue eyes, " I'm sorry that you have to die because of me,"
" It's not your fault Frodo," Erin cried, hugging him tightly, " it's no one's fault! We saved Middle-Earth…we saved all of our friends,"
" But I couldn't save you…" he whispered, tears now slipping down his pale cheeks.
" You can't save everyone Frodo," she whispered, feeling her self control about not crying fading.
" Can I hold Elijah?" Frodo asked, wanting to hold his son one last time.
Erin passed the tiny baby, who had stopped crying and just looked at his parents and Sam with what seemed to be thoughtful eyes.
Frodo took him into his arms and stared down at him.
" I'm so sorry, my beautiful son…I've sealed your fate before you even got a chance to live your life. You would have grown up to be an amazing man, I just know it. I haven't been caring for toy like I should have been, and now I regret that more than anything else in my life,"
" You'll see each other again," Sam spoke softly, causing them both to look at him, " In the world after this one…wherever you go when you die. You'll live there together, just as you would have in life,"
" Oh Sam!" Erin cried, embracing the Hobbit tightly, " Thank you…thank you for always being there for me…through everything,"
Then the three sat together. Frodo gave Elijah back to Erin, and put one arm around Erin and the other around Sam.
" Thank you Sam…" Frodo whispered, " I love you Erin. I'm glad that it is you two I'm with at the end of all things,"
Erin closed her eyes then, a million wishes running through her mind. She whished she could live, she wished Elijah would live. She wished she could see her family again, she wished she could see Niori, Carla and Jane again. She wished she and Frodo had gotten their happily ever after.
Then, she let the blissful darkness take her.
.l.l.l.l.l.
An- Well….the war is FINALLY over…lol….tune in for the next chapter to see if the girls FINALLY get to see each other again!