A crack like lightning, and a feeling as if his backbone was being pulled threw his skull, the others screams....
"What by the dark lords is this thin?! By the Vala above!! Mayhaps he fell from the tower?"
"I don't know fellow, I don't know! Is it dead?!"
"Someone call the guard! There's been an accident!"
"Turn them turn them! Don't let the children see!"
The sounds, so many, so close, and light!! Blinding light!! As if to make it so the darkness had never been!! Ji Indur moaned under his breath, light yes, and a very hard ground beneath him. Hissing as his joints popped with the effort to raise himself, he glared balefully at those around him. Several drew back with cries of shock, but then to his ultimate surprise moved forward and tried to lift him!!
"Lord knows how you're alive!"
"A miracle! Surely a miracle!"
"From a fall that high!! You may as well have jumped all the way from the white tree!"
"Poor old fellow! Can you stand? Do you hear me?"
What is this?!!! Indur drew away stunned, hissing at them from low in the back of his craw. The sound seemed to strike a cord in the wiser of them, several drew back, confused and trying to place the sound. Others who knew it all to well paled like the snow and pulled others away. "The king!! And the guard!! Send for the king!!" Indur drew further from the group until a building met his back, reached for his blade... where one a sword of well forged steel had lain, now were only crumpled grains as a fine powder. His hands, he noted, were also bare, as were his feet. In fact, all metal he had worn was no more than dust shifting threw the thick black cloaks he wore. And even they were not untouched!! The black having been faded to the lightest shades of grey!!
... After existing so long... it was very awkward to feel so naked... The Nazgul lowered his head in an almost shamefaced manner, only to be thrown from his feet when a guard grabbed him and forced him to the ground. He did the only thing he could do, he reared back his head and...
Aragorn fell loudly from the throne, his breaths quick and panicky as the wail of the Nazgul rose over the city. The guards in the room, to frozen in disbelief and fear to even notice his fall had run to the many windows. "...It cannot be... they were slain in Mordor!!"
Arwen and Eowyn froze, for only a moment. Then like lightning grabbed their crying children and pulled them into the safety of the great hall, Faramir guarding their backs with sword drawn. "Faramir! Hurry! Don't waist time with that! Hurry!" The steward sheathed his sword and vanished threw the great doors just as they were slammed shut, only to slam them open again when he heard a horse cantering down the coble stones. "Aragorn!! Don't be a fool Aragorn!!" The beast reared up for a moment as the king turned and shot Faramir one fiery glance that said plainly there would be no staying of his hand, and spurred the horse into a gallop.
Faramir stood stunned for but a moment, then turned and quickly told the others to stay put, Eowyn looked at Arwen, who had hard lines about her eyes. The queen swiftly turned and told the servants to guard the children, soothing them as best she could before both women ran to get their own horses. Faramir followed looking angrier than he could recall being at any turn of events! And to think that his king had told him just moments ago to get away from it all!
Three more mounts and riders spurred down into the city bellow.
... - - ...
Gandalf tensed, feeling a disturbance, "Frodo! We must be off! Things are progressing more quickly than expected!" The ring bearer turned from his friends sadly, only to blink when Merry and Pippin ran ahead and pulled their way up onto the great beasts back. Gandalf gave Frodo the (I told you so) look. Samwise ran outside and pulled himself up as well. "If there's something going on, than we're coming with Mr. Frodo!" Bilbo merely chuckled.
... - - ...
Gimli turned at the Elf's silence, watching Legolas stare transfixed at the horizon. "Um... Elf? What do you think you're doing?" Legolas blinked a few times, turned to him and said in a hushed voice. "...We need to go to Gondor, as quickly as we can. Something's begun..."
Deep in the darkness... the others still cried out... and above them the Dark lords stood, and waited.