Chapter 6

A horn sounded and Buffy and Willow ran to see what it was. They ran into Legolas and Aragorn on the way over. "Are they here?"

"No." Legolas said. "That was no Orc horn."

They made it to the main stairs to find Haldir and an army of Elves. Aragorn walked up and hugged Haldir. Haldir turned and looked at Buffy. "I see you have become well adjusted to this world."

"I try." Buffy responded. "Even managed to get a little help too. Haldir, meet Willow. She's a witch."

"Yes, I heard her call for help. I am honored to fight by your sides." Legolas paid his respects and then the Elves looked at Theoden. "We are proud to fight alonside Men once more."

As everyone prepared for battle, Buffy and Haldir walked around, watching the men and Elves as they talked. "Galadriel sends her best wished to you."

Buffy smiled. "I'm happy to hear that."

"She senses a change in you."

"Really?"

"And I sense a change in Legolas."

"Oh, I see."

"See what, may I ask?"

"About me and Legolas."

"Is it true?"

"I want it to be. But this isn't my world."

"Isn't it?"

"Ok, what's with all the questions to answer questions?"

"I only wish to provoke a truth in you."

"What truth? I wasn't born here, so it's not where I belong."

"And what makes you believe this? Maybe all that you have done in your life before has led to your life here. It could be that your time on your world is over and your time in this world has only just begun."

Buffy punched Haldir's arm playfully. "Stop being cryptic. Did Galadriel say something about me?"

"Only that she sensed a change in you. Nothing more, nothing less. I only take of it what I see here before my eyes." Haldir saw Aragorn and walked over to him, leaving Buffy to stare dumbfounded after him.

Buffy stood with Legolas and Gimli at the wall. They were surrounded by Elves and they were waiting for war. Haldir had placed unwanted complications in her mind about her relationship with Legolas. She wanted it more than anything. Here she was normal, just another warrior among many, and it felt wonderful to feel that way. But a part of her knew she had a sacred duty back home that she couldn't ignore no matter how much she wanted to. Besides, that's where Dawn was. That's where she was needed.

"You two could have picked a better spot." Gimli said, pulling Buffy out of her thoughts. She almost laughed out loud when she saw that his head barely reached the top of the wall.

"You'll get your chance to fight Gimli." Buffy said. "I promise I'll leave one or two for you to kill."

"I wouldn't mock me, woman. I'll she you who's the better fighter. The one with the most kills after this is over will be the winner. And you can't die, either."

"I'll try not to."

Aragorn walked over to them. "Willow is with the king. She said to wish you luck and that she will do everything she can to protect the Keep."

Buffy nodded, watching the approaching Uruk-hai. "Good."

"Well, lad, whatever luck you live by, let's hope it lasts the night." Gimli said.

A flash of lightning lit up the very large army of Uruk-hai. "Your friends are with you, Aragorn." Legolas said.

"Let's hope they last the night."

Aragorn moved away. Legolas glanced at Buffy. She was standing at the ready. Obviously a trained fighter, but something in her eyes showed she was scared. He reached out and gripped her hand as the rain started to fall. The commanding Uruk ordered the troops to stop, but to Buffy it sounded like a long groan. She almost giggled.

Gimli bounced up and down, trying to see. "What's happening out there?"

"Shall I describe it to you?" Legolas asked. "Or would you like me to find you a box?" Gimli laughed.

Suddenly, the Uruk-hai began to pound their spears on the ground and their chests, challenging their opponents. The Elves and the human archers got their bows ready. Buffy and Legolas held theirs steady. To their right, an arrow flew and slammed into an Uruk. The thing fell, dead, and the Uruk-hai grew silent. Aragorn yelled, but Buffy had no clue what he said.

"Hold." Legolas said.

"I am!" Buffy protested.

The Elf smiled. "That is what Aragorn said."

"Oh."

The Uruk-hai growled and yelled, then they began to march. Buffy glanced back at Willow and then at Legolas as he spoke in Elvish. Then to her, he said, "Their armor is weak at the neck and beneath the arm."

"Oh good."

Aragorn yelled, "Release arrows!" in Elvish. He had told Buffy what it had meant.

An amazing onslaught of arrows shot into the Uruk-hai. Buffy managed to track hers all the way into the eye socket of an Uruk, who fell with the others that had been hit. "Bulls eye!"

"Did they hit anything?" Gimli asked.

More arrows flew, taking out Uruk after Uruk. They kep coming, though. The Uruk-hai had crossbows and Elves began to fall around her. The Slayer caught one out of the air that almost impaled her chest. Legolas looked impressed. She shrugged and tossed it away.

Ladders began to appear and the Uruk-hair started to climb. Buffy dropped the bow and pulled out her scythe, waiting. The first Uruk to come within range lost its head. The next, most of its torso. Uruk-hai began to fall as Buffy threw herself into a deadly ballet.

"Legolas! Two already!" Gimli said.

"I'm on seventeen." Legolas said back.

"You boys suck!" Buffy said, taking out another Uruk. "I'm on twenty seven."

"What! I'll have no pointy ear or woman outscoring me!" Gimli said.

Buffy sliced and diced, making her way to Aragorn. "How you doin?"

"I am alive." Aragorn said. Simultaneously, Buffy and Aragorn stabbed their weapons by each other's heads and killed two Uruk-hai.

"Stay that way." Buffy noticed shields with white hand on them moving in a tight group up the bridge to the main gate. "Aragorn!"

He ordered the Elves to aim at the Causeway. Uruk-hai fell, but it wasn't enough. In the ranks of the Uruk-hai below them, something was happening. The crowd parted and a single Uruk ran towards the wall with a torch in hand.

"This isn't the Olympics!" Buffy knew something bad was going to happen. "Legolas! Bring him down!" Legolas shot, but the Uruk kept going. "Kill him!" He shot again, but the thing kept running. It dove and the wall beneath Buffy and Aragorn exploded. She flew into the air and landed hard on the ground, unconscious. Aragorn landed not far away from her, also unconscious.

"Buffy!" Legolas yelled.

The Slayer groaned and looked around her, but her vision was still a haze. She tasted blood and realized she had a gash on her forehead where a rock from the wall had caught her. Her neck burned and she figured it was probably a little bit burned. Aragorn helped her to her feet and she realized they were facing the mass of Uruk-hai. Gimli dove into the fray from the wall.

"Gimli!" Aragorn yelled.

The Elves had regrouped behind Buffy and Aragorn and he ordered them to fire. Uruk-hai fell and then Aragorn ordered the charge. Buffy stomped on her scythe and it flew into her hands. She ran at the Uruk-hai, slamming into them and fighting with all her might. They started to overpower her, taking her down in a dogpile, but then Legolas was there fighting them off. He grabbed her waist and helped her to stand before drawing his twin blades. They fought side by side and Buffy felt a deeper connection to Legolas than ever before. Their moves became almost sycronized.

"Aragorn!" Theoden yelled. "Fall back to the Keep! Get your men out of there!"

The Uruk-hair tried to stop them, but they were shoved back by an invisible hand. Buffy saw Willow concentration and knew she was buying them time to get out of there. Aragorn and Legolas grabbed Gimli. "What are you doing? What are you stopping for?" He protested.

They made it just in time to see Haldir get cut down. "NO!" Aragorn broke away and he and Buffy ran to Haldir. Buffy shut Haldir's eyes and Aragorn laid the fallen Elf down. More Uruk-hai attacked, not caring about their grief over their fallen friend. Buffy grabbed Aragorn's arm and they hopped on a ladder, riding it down into the fray behind the wall. They raced to the gate, catching up with Willow and Gimli.

"Where's Legolas?" Buffy asked Willow.

"At the wall He's on the wall." Willow said.

"Aragorn….."

"Go." He yelled.

Buffy raced to the wall, looking for Legolas. She yelped and ducked as a giant grappling hook grabbed the wall beside her, almost taking off her arm. Legolas grabbed her waist and pulled her to him as they ran. To their horror, the Uruk-hai swarmed onto the ladders and rode them up. Buffy pointed to one of the ladders being slowly raised up. Legolas drew an arrow and aimed at one of the ropes on it. Buffy fought off Uruk-hai as he made the shot. The rope severed and the ladder of Uruk-hai fell back, crushing them and other Uruk-hai below. Buffy and Legolas grabbed another big hook and pulled with all their might. Another ladder went down.

"Oh my God!" Buffy pointed at Aragorn and Gimli at the Causeway fighting off swarming Uruk-hai that surrounded them. "Legolas!"

He grabbed a rope. "Aragorn!" Legolas tossed it down and Aragorn grabbed it, holding tightly to Gimli as Buffy and Legolas pulled them up and over the wall. The king ordered the retreat and they ran to the Keep.

Day was breaking outside and the sun was starting to come up. Helm's Deep was still under heavy attack and things weren't looking up for the good guys.

Theoden looked up as Buffy, Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli ran in. "The fortress is taken. It is over."

"You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it." Aragorn said as he and Legolas helped barricade the doors. "They still defend it. They have died defending it."

Buffy walked up to Theoden. "Is there another way out of here? We have to get the women and children out of the caves."

"There is one passage." The king's general said when the king would not speak up. "It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many."

Aragorn walked over. "Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance."

"Send Willow with them. She can protect them." Buffy said.

"No. I'm needed here." Willow protested.

"They need you, Will. They can't make it."

"So much death." Theoden said. "What can Men do against such reckless hate?"

Buffy turned from Willow and grabbed Theoden's shoulder, forcing him to look at her. "Those are your men out there. If you lose hope, they lose it too. You're their leader. Their KING. So start acting like it."

Aragorn walked up and placed his hand on Buffy's shoulder, looking at the king. "Ride out with us. Ride out and meet them."

"For death and glory." Theoden said.

"For Rohan. For your people."

"The sun is rising." Gimli said.

"How many days has it been since we left Edoras?" Buffy asked.

"Five. Why?" Willow asked.

"Gandalf." Aragorn said, catching on.

"Yes." Theoden said. "Yes. The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the Deep one last time."

"Yes!" Gimli said.

They mounted their horses. "Let this be the hour when we draw swords together. Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath, now for ruin, and a red dawn!" Gimli sounded the horn. "Forth Earlingas!"

Riding hard into the invading Uruk-hai, Buffy sliced, diced, and ran over anything that looked ugly. Her horse shoved Uruk-hai off the Causeway and the things fell to their death. Others were kicked off as her powerful legs caught them in their torsos and heads. Buffy looked to the rising sun and saw Gandalf with the Riders of Rohan she, Aragorn, and Legolas had gotten their horses from.

The Uruk-hai's attention turned towards Gandalf as the riders and him charged down the mountainside. Buffy just knew victory was theirs as she fought harder than ever before. As the battle thinned, Buffy saw the remaining Uruk-hai running away and Theoden cried victory. She rode behind them with Gandalf and Legolas.

"Stay out of the forrest! Keep away from the trees." Eomer yelled.

As Buffy watched, the trees began to move of their own volition and the Uruk-hai screamed. "That's new."

"The trees." Legolas said.

"Talking AND walking trees. I love this place."

"You're hurt." Legolas touched the spot on her forehead.

"It's nothing. Already closed."

"You must have that looked at when we return."

She smiled gently. "Only if you insist."