I very unfortunately do no own any of the characters mentioned in this story…just strictly fan fiction entertainment.
WARNING: Character death in this chapter…but trust me there'll be a surprise later, so don't let this stop you from reading!
BOOM!!! The shot seemed to ring out for miles after the last orc fell. Jack smiled slightly as he realized all of his companions were staring at him wide eyed, and open mouthed. Although they had expected Jack would be able to kill many of the orcs (which in fact, he did), but they didn't expect him to kill the last few with a weapon they've never even seen before.
Jack lowered his pistol and walked out of the sea of dead orcs as if nothing had ever happened. "So, I guess we should keep moving eh?" Jack smiled and walked around everybody still staring at him. He turned around after he finally got annoyed of the long silence and asked questionably, "Well?" Gimli finally was the one to speak up, "We had expected a few surprises from you, but we were wondering…what sort of contraption would that be?"
Jack realized Gimli meant the pistol he was still holding in his hand and wondered how exactly he was going to explain what it was. He was sure there would be questions. "Let's keep moving, and I'll explain while we're walking."
It was not long before Pippin came up asking Jack what it was, and everybody moved in to listen. "Well….it's a gun." Legolas looked at him with a confused expression, "A
gun?" Jack sighed and decided to make this is simple as possible, "It's a metal thing that shots little metals things really quickly out of it." Everybody looked like they understood somewhat, but decided to drop the cause. They were getting very close to Gondor, and although the orcs were far behind, they wouldn't have much time once they got there.
Aragorn ran down the steps questionably as he wondered why everybody had gone to Gondor instead of the docks. Legolas was the first to run up the steps, with Jack following close behind. The rest were lagging behind, especially the hobbits, and Gimli (who said he was merely watching the hobbits for protection). Aragorn's questions were soon answered when Legolas spoke. "Orcs are headed towards Gondor. It looks as if they are the ones from Moria." Aragorn had sudden panic. He wasn't sure what to do, but he had to make the right decision, and quick.
"How many are there?" By then everybody had gotten to Aragorn, and all looked concerned at the question. Jack was the only one that looked like absolutely nothing was wrong with the situation, so decided to answer, "There was a whole fleet!! Erm I meant navy?.....ARMY!?.." Everybody looked at Jack as if he had lost his mind (which many said they were positive he was). "Sorry," Jack replied to their some what perplexed faces, "Not used to the whole land situation yet,"
Aragorn was almost concerned for the man, but had more important things to worry about. Much more important. He had decided, with a bit of Jack's 'help', that Gondor would prepare for battle. The thought of being in battle against the orcs ripped everybody's hearts. They thought it was over the last time , before the one ring was destroyed. Legolas looked worried with the whole situation, but kept it quiet. He had remembered the last time he didn't trust Aragorn with his decision, and he didn't want to get into another argument with him.
Gimli, or course, was pumped up for the battle, and trying to place bets with Legolas to see who could kill more, but Legolas wasn't about to joke around this time. He still had a huge feeling something was going to go horribly wrong.
Jack was putting on the armor everybody else was wearing, which brought back bad memories of when he was locked in the rebuilt, Barad-dûr. He really hated wearing the armor; it was quite uncomfortable. But he shrugged it off, and walked up towards the stairs. But suddenly, something happened that finally brought him into reality. He realized he was going to war, and he, or his new friends could die this night. Especially the most innocent ones, such as the hobbits. He heard something he really didn't want to hear. He heard orcs in the distance.
"The sun rises! The orcs are not prone to the light! Keep fighting, for all it's worth!" Jack could hear Gandalf's encouraging words, and continued to fight (which seemed to be with ease) all the orcs around him. The thing he wasn't quite expected was a troll to come blundering down, smashing many orcs, and almost Jack, but he moved out of the way in time. He turned around to see a few other trolls walk in, and started attacking everybody in sight. Jack whipped around, and stabbed it ferociously, until it crippled down to the floor like the other one. The last troll left was being fought only by the hobbits, who were loosing considerably, until Legolas and Aragorn jumped in to protect them.
And that's when it happened, it was so quick to everybody, accept Legolas, who had a bad feeling this whole time. To him, it felt like it happened in slow motion, but he couldn't move to help. The troll took his club, and swung at Legolas, who had just fired a couple arrows at it. Legolas ducked just in time, but his human counterpart, Aragorn, unfortunately didn't have the Elven senses, and got a full blow of the hit. Instead of the troll just dropping the club, it followed through, and smashed Aragorn into the wall.
Jack looked at everybody's traumatic faces, but none looked as sorry as Legolas did. His face had a mix of emotions. First he looked as if he wanted to go help Aragorn, but then he finally accepted he was dead. Now he was just plain angry. He hated that troll with a burning passion, and now, he was getting revenge. He took a few arrows, and let the troll nearly hit him, when he fired. One hit the troll's mouth, one hit its eye, and the other hit somewhere in the middle of its face. That did it. The troll fell down with a large thump, leaving the room silent.
It was finally daylight, and Jack finished off the last few remaining orcs, and left his friends to grieve over the one he had not known very well. From what he knew, Aragorn was a great man, a great leader, and friend. Everyone retreated to their rooms, except for Jack and Legolas. Jack was sitting outside, wondering 'Why do I have to be here? Why can't I have my old life back?' He was also worried for Legolas, who had been sitting in the room all night. Jack had grown the closest to Legolas, and knew so much grieving wasn't good for anybody, especially an elf.
Finally Jack decided it was time for both of them to head back inside, to the undamaged areas, and rest for the night. He walked into the room, and saw Legolas, who looked like he still had tears in his eyes. Jack felt bad for interrupting him but he knew he had to get Legolas away from this room and his mind off of what happened, on, I think we need our rest now…" Jack watched him slowly get up, and walk away with his head hung low.
Jack had finally fallen asleep when he strayed into yet another dream. It was Sauron. Again. It looked like he knew he had lost a battle, but it didn't look like he cared, and Jack found out why shortly after. It was an island, and Sauron had what looked like to be some sort of ball. Quite like a Palantiri, accept much more powerful. In it, Jack could see something golden, almost flame colored. It was a ring. Sauron placed his hand on the ball, and a there was a flash of yellow that flowed through his dark figure. The power of the ring flowed through his (invisible) blood. The ring wasn't a separate piece, that was to be worn, but a part of him. He turned his head, and Jack could feel his eyes watching him, even though he knew he was far away.
Jack woke up the next morning, not remembering one bit of his dream.