Rivendell was the most beautiful place Alexander and his extended family had ever experienced, though Joyce's Wonder Woman memories of Paradise Island for her remained an acknowledgeable tie. The group was awed by the scale of it all, and that a city was integrated into it. Immediately the need to engage in bathing became a voiced priority second in importance to being shown to their accommodations, the trip having taken a toll on the self-image and scent tolerance of all involved. Alexander and the men simply dressed in their usual attire afterward, but the women were happy to at least temporarily don the feminine clothes provided for them. Even Maggie after some help and encouragement from the other women enjoyed the silky feel of freedom, and the almost-bashful looks a certain former Promised One gave her.
Many on the Council greeted them, as they were gathered nearby, and indeed offered to show them their favorite parts of Rivendell before the evening meal. They broke up into pairs and trios, accepting the gesture of hospitality.
Alexander and Doyle headed back toward where they believed they might find Gandalf. The weight of memories and responsibility falling harder on them than the others, even their idea of fun had matured during the many short journeys, a pint and watching others engage in frivolity seeming to bring them more enjoyment than joining in. They found Elrond, Galadriel, Celeborn, and the Fellowship discussing the events as they would have happened in this next year, the highs and lows, the losses and victories. The two human world-travelers were greeted with smiles and gestures at large seat cushions as they arrived.
While they'd intended to forego a meeting until the next day, the gathering became a far less formal time of recollection and discussion, and as the time for evening meal arrived, and the touring Sliders filtered into the room, Elrond pleasantly shocked the group by insisting they simply eat as they were, not to break the mood or success of their planning.
Hosts of Elves would gather with the intent of securing Saruman and Orthanc before he might be ready to offer real resistance. The Rangers in the Far North would be encouraged to gather and conduct raids against the dark enemies opposite them, with bridges, transport, and supplies for campaigning being the most important targets. All other Rangers would gather with the Elves and any Dwarves that might be within range.
Gimli would send word to his people, asking them to assist if they could, and be ready if failure resulted in a Last War.
"Who will accompany the Eagles and the Ring-Bearer into Shadow?" Celeborn asked, "and who will head south to Orthanc, Helm's Deep and Gondor itself? With the successful thwarting of the Nazgul, the Ancient Enemy might rush its forces together and strike before either side is ready."
"An excellent consideration, Lord Celeborn," Elrond agreed, "And even with the destruction of the Ring and its Master, once in motion, much could be lost to the Hosts of Shadow."
"Then the Eagles must have the Fellowship," Alexander replied, "so that if we succeed, then such an arrival in Gondor has a chance of overcoming the opposition of the Regent before he becomes to far gone into despair."
"You and Francis should also go," Dawn added, "In sheer power, you would be helpful in holding Gondor against the mortal successors of the Ancient Enemy should it prove necessary."
"And the Power of Word and Will should the Regent not accept the Truth from his own son's mouth," Tara finished. "If you have the Southern Men as well as the Forces from Mordor against you, there won't be time to find the Army of the Dead in time. Th-there must be Power there until the rest of us can reach you overland."
"At least with Gondor as friendly, it won't be 'a bridge too far,'" Rupert agreed, "And there isn't any complexity to go astray. We either win or don't."
Maggie frowned, not too sure that the enemy would be coming to them as they all had just assumed, "But what happens if we get to Gondor and the bad guys are fighting each other instead of attacking?"
"Then we gather supplies and destroy what targets present themselves," Aragorn asserted, "And we take back the Towers into Mordor, secure the Fords from the South and draw upon all available men, including the army of the dead, to march forth and reestablish Light as far as we can this year, to keep safe our homes and families in the Third Age that dawns."
The assembled group nodded general agreement, so Maggie continued, "How about tomorrow, we spar and demonstrate our abilities and weapons, that way we can achieve greater surprise, and greater progress toward Gondor when we set out?"
"An excellent idea, Maggie," Aragorn nodded, "It would be too much to ask that we reach Gondor at the same time, but the faster the better, as the momentum of hope will prove as important as force against the Enemy."
Two weeks of training and rapid effort had brought in most of Rivendell's hosts and as much as could be spared from the Wooded East, a slight increase on the borders of Galadriel's demesne giving truth to the assertion that the Ancient Evil suspected something. A band of fifty dwarves, looking a bit put out as they arrived with a hundred Rangers, were an unexpected heartening boost as the time to move south loomed. Ash had begun real unarmed combat training when he and Pike weren't getting the near-destroyed trucks back into shape for at least one final use.
In spite of the increasingly apparent condition of Dawn, Tara, and Willow, all three had insisted on accompanying the Host of Light as it moved against Orthanc, promising to remain in the rear of activity unless asked to provide 'magical artillery' against Orthanc itself.
And when not too busy, Xander could be found drinking and eating with Doyle, Gimli, some of the Dwarves and the Hobbits at a tavern just outside Rivendell that handled customers involved in overland trade.
Forty Eagles arrived one morning, huge creatures of great Dignity and Nobility. The idea of a swift strike to destroy the Enemy and cast the corrupt body in all directions as carrion was too great an opportunity for the Eagles to let pass. Especially as they would be the instrument for that victory.
The larger number of Eagles changed the dynamic somewhat, and it was decided that twenty bowmen accompany the expanded Fellowship. Only three hours after they had arrived, the Eagles had been introduced to their campaign companions, and headed back into the skies.
Two days later with stops to avoid the Nazgul and a cranky dragon, Mordor and its heat slowly wore on the Eagle Flight. And as Mount Doom loomed evilly above the wasteland that was Mordor, the Fellowship could see the vast legions of the Enemy mobilizing toward the West. And to their worry and disgust, they felt and saw Five of the Nazgul approaching from the East, from the lair and dark throne of Sauron, the Ancient Foe.
The Eagles knew the plan, with three magic wielders to provide maximum firepower straight down the middle as the force formed a three-dimensional arrowhead and simply pressed faster in hopes of breaking through.
The Nazgul charged and narrowed, planning to make it a head-butting contest, power against power, to determine the fight. The two forces collided, Alexander drawing and hurling lightning at the middle of the dark horsemen, as Gandalf simply lashed out at the steeds with a flash of pure White Magic to blind the foes long enough to press around. Elven bowmen loosed at the last instance as Doyle cast a Blessing at the head of the Lord of the Nazgul itself.
The horsemen destroyed twelve Eagles and their riders as they cut through but the magic of the three was sufficient to deflect and hold them just enough to let the Ring Bearer pass through, Eagles and their Warriors spreading out for a last-ditch effort to slow down the dark lords when they turned in desperation. Frodo moved onward, and the three magic wielders felt the corruption and pain of the magic in this fouled land, giving them but a single shot each before they would be overcome by Evil through use of the Dark Power of Sauron himself that permeated everything.
The Nazgul, now numbering four, with another unable to quite turn back due to wounding of its mount, charged back, drawing on their power and that of their Master as everything became apparent to Evil. This was the destruction of the Ring that was involved; not an attack upon Sauron for supremacy.
Doyle gathered lightning and hurled it at the leader, whose rage and pain from Elven tips was heard as he approached.
Gandalf again Blessed the leader's face, which allowed Doyle's lightning to burn and destroy the integrity of the Dark Lord as it was upon them as Alexander Blessed the faces of two steeds, causing them to halt, swerve and drop in confusion.
The two thrown Nazgul were flung through the second volley of arrows, hacking and grasping at the Eagles as they went. Two went down from swords and two more went down from the grasping claws of these dark menaces, their steeds managing to cause the deaths of another Eagle and Warrior as they sought escape.
The distracted Nazgul continued to charge through the Forces of Light, slashing its sword and casting dark magics as it sliced beyond. Four more Eagles and Warriors went down, as the slower Dark Rider charged into the midst of the Elves, choosing to cut through three lesser targets in an attempt to catch the Ring Bearer, but it was too late. All could see the Eagle in its descent, and at least imagine its shriek of victory as despite singed feathers it pulled away.
Five more Eagles and Elves went down as the last rider made sure to kill as many of its killers as possible before the Dark Magics that held it together dissipated and it ended. Only the Fellowship, Doyle and Alexander remained of the Warriors, and two riderless Eagles besides, but even as paired as they'd been, the four Hobbits had been singed, and nicked in the course of the aerial battle. The magic wielders, sensitive to the Dark, heaved over the sides of their Eagle partners, the revulsion so strong they could no longer hold it in.
Mordor shook beneath them as the land came apart, Sauron himself ceasing with the core of his empire.