Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters or settings from Lord of the Rings or Xena the Warrior Princess
Author's Note:
This is a LegoRomance (slow-burn)
~ LXIII: Dead Men of Dunharrow ~
"Over the land there lies a long shadow, westward-reaching wings of darkness. The Tower trembles; to the tomb of kings doom approaches. The Dead awaken; for the hour is come for the Oathbreakers: at the Stone of Erech, they shall stand again and hear there a horn in the hills ringing. Whose shall the horn be? Who shall call them from the grey twilight, the forgotten people? The heir of him to whom the oath they swore. From the North shall he come, need shall drive him: he shall pass the Door to the Paths of the Dead."—Malbeth the Seer
Dunharrow, 3019 TA, March 9
The jagged mountains were seen in the distance. As the group of four made their way towards them, a chute of tiny boulders split from one of the mountains and rolled down its slope. It tumbled over the tangled edge and fell into the pit below. The subsequent hush was bone-chilling. It chilled their bones to consider travelling farther down the route. The mountain's summit, which reached the heavens, was soaked in eerie grey. The rocks were pierced by a bristling, advancing thread of thin grey light. All along their line of sight, the mountain range's peaks protruded like a row of thorns. Around their necks were necklaces of powdered pebbles. As the group approached the entrance, the air become freezing cold.
Each was riding in silence. Each for their own reasons. There was Aragorn who was given the Flame of the West. The Elves of Rivendell reforged Narsil into a new sword after Arwen pleaded with her father Elrond to reforge the sword, convinced that the enemy could be defeated. It was the possession of Elendil, now remaining as 'Andúril' by Aragorn. Reluctantly, Elrond agreed and had the shards of Narsil reforged into Andúril by the smiths of Rivendell. The sword was then engraved with runes saying 'Anar. Nányë Andúril I né Narsil i macil Elendilo. Lercuvantan i móli Mordórëo. Isil.' [Sun. I am Andúril who was once Narsil, sword of Elendil. The slaves of Mordor shall flee from me. Moon.]
Elrond gave the sword to Aragorn in Dunharrow, where he also delivered tragic news. Arwen, the daughter of Elrond, was dying, and her destiny was now connected to the One Ring. In addition to Sauron's army marching on Minas Tirith, the Dark Lord has sent a fleet of Corsairs from the south that will arrive in Gondor in two days. Elrond gave one piece of counsel to mitigate the bad news: If Aragorn followed the Paths of the Dead, with the might of Andril he could summon an army stronger than any live army, and with that force, he would have a chance to halt the Corsairs and rescue Arwen. This sword manages to have an influence on the leader of the Paths of the Dead's inhabitants.
Thant night Aragorn agreed that it was time to accept who he was. He took the sword and decided to take the Path of the Dead and find those whose sworn to answer when the King of Gondor would call them. However, in this task, he was not allowed to go alone. Legolas, Gimli and Xena had ambushed him and followed him. Even if Aragorn did not agree with them following him. His attempts were ignored and that is how the group of four were now down that path.
One more was troubled, and that was Xena. Because after Elrond met with Aragorn his next stop was in Xena's tent. She seemed happy that after a long time she met with Elrond, and she never noticed that she actually missed him. For a short time, the elf was whispering something in elvish and asking her if the darkness had somehow had an effect on her. That it did not have, surely there were some personal reasons that had confused Xena and made her feel strange. But she was filled with energy and ready to battle.
Both had a very long talk, and she noticed that ever then and again Elrond was trying to tell her something, but did not. She told him about the strange dream she had about Saruman, and how eerie it felt. Elrond told her to be careful because the Dark Lord could still be looking for her. When she asked him the reason. Elrond could only offer her that Sauron believes that Xena is something of both evil and good. "Do not let him fool you!" Elrond said, "You are not!"
How Sauron would be able to fool her, Xena could not guess. All those months she has been in Middle Earth there were only a few times she had crossed both with something eerie that she could not explain. And after her meeting with Saruman, she knew he was the one causing it. Now Saruman was dead. And she had never felt trapped in such strange darkness before.
The route to the haunted mountain was cloudy since the light had not yet risen beyond the mountain's dark ridges. They were overcome with terror as they rode through the old stone lines. Even the Elf could not bear the hollow emitted by the mountain for very long. They brought a poisonous root with them in the expectation of returning. This conflict was not comparable to Helm's Deep. It was more severe and dangerous. Every hour wasted there only brought the victory of Sauron closer.
The horses would not pass the threatening stone until their riders dismounted and let them about. So, they only paused as they had reached the Dimholt door. The Dark door gabbed before them like the mouth of night. Fear flowed from it like a grey vapour. The surrounding alone was enough to cause goosebumps to any normal human. Only, Legolas, whose Elvish heart did not acknowledge the ghost terror of men.
Then Aragorn led the way, and Brego was prepared to confront even the Door's dread. The wind blasted out the door. He turned around and spat, "I have no fear of death!" before entering through the door. However, Ador, a Rohan horse, rejected the path and stood in dread. Then Legolas placed his palms to his ear and said something under his breath. In the darkness, the lines seemed vague until Ador allowed himself to be guided. The Elf followed Aragorn without hesitation or dread. Xena followed Argo as she spoke comforting words to him. The mare seemed troubled but continued on.
And there stood Gimli the dwarf by himself. His knees shook, and he was wroth with himself. "Well, this is something unheard of! An elf will go underground where a dwarf dare not! Ah, I'd never hear the end of it!" With that, he plunged in. But he dragged his feet like lead over the threshold.
Aragorn, Legolas, Xena, and Gimli entered a vast subterranean hall with a massive entrance. Strider had taken torches from Dunharrow, and he was now carrying one in front of him. Only the feeble light of the candles could be seen. They seemed to hear a continuous murmur of syllables in a language they had never heard before. Nothing attacked the group or impeded their progress, but yet, terror progressively built.
Unknown time passed, the route widened, and the group arrived across a vast vacant area. No barriers existed on each side. Something glistened in the darkness to the west as Aragorn's torch approached. The Strider knelt before the skeletons of powerful men. The place field consisted of skulls and bones. Gimli already despised the location. They proceeded despite a looming terror that appeared to encircle them. Gradually approaching.
Suddenly, they heard the tinkle of water, a sound of a hard and clear stone falling into a dream of dark shadow. Light, grow and then gone again. The eerie shadow grew and finally, the company faced what they came to find.
"Who enters my domain?" a deep echoing voice said as the King of the dead appeared.
Long had the terror of the Dead laid upon them. Yet, Aragorn responded without fear "One who will have your allegiance."
"The dead do not suffer the living to pass." the King of the dead voiced.
Aragorn ensured him with a deadly tone "You will suffer me!"
The King of the dead gazed at the ranger and laughed. Behind him a dead city emitted. Dead soldiers walked out of the city and encircled the team of three. The King spoke:
'The way is shut.'
'It was made by those who are dead.'
'And the dead keep it.'
'The way is shut.'
'Now you must die.'
He approached Aragorn ready to attack. Legolas reached for his bow and an arrow was released at the King, but the arrow passed right through the ghost's head. "I summon you to fulfil your oath," Aragorn uttered like a true King.
The King of the Dead replied, "None but the King of Gondor may command me!"
Aragorn finally drew the sword. He swung away after the ghosts attacked him. Next, he lifted the Sword of Elendil, much to the ghost's surprise.
"It cannot be - that line was broken!" said the King.
"It has been remade." Aragorn revealed "Fight for us, and regain your honour. What say you?"
"You waste your time, Aragorn! They had no honour in life, they have none now in death." Gimli said.
"I am Isildur's heir. Fight for me and I will hold your oaths fulfilled! What say you! You have my word! Fight, and I will release you from this living death! What say you?" Aragorn added, gazing at the King serious waiting for a response.
The ground shook. Skulls rolled on the floor. The Doorway was broken, as the company of three ran outside followed by the horses. Aragorn fell to his knees in despair as Legolas placed his hand against his shoulder. Suddenly, a sound was heard behind them. The King of the Dead appeared before the heir to the Gondorian throne and answered.
"We fight!"
They rode down the mountain to reach the River, without being able to see if the Army of the Dead was actually following. Though Legolas could sense them, they were behind them. "The Dead are following," said Legolas. "I see shapes of Men and of horses, and pale banners like shreds of cloud, and spears like winter thickets on a misty night. The Dead are following."
"Yes, the Dead ride behind. They have been summoned," agreed Aragorn. They kept following the path now down to the river as fast as they could to manage to stop the corsairs of Umbar.
"Oathbreakers were Men of the White Mountains, cursed to remain in Middle-earth by Isildur after they abandoned their oath to aid him in the War of the Last Alliance" suddenly Legolas started to narrate them through the tale of the Army of the Dead. No one interrupted him they just kept riding and listening to the elf. "They haunted the caverns beneath the Dwimorberg, and the valley of Harrowdale that lay in its shadow, though they were said to appear in the valley only in times of trouble or death."
"We figured that already," answered Xena casting a fast glance over to the elf "they almost haunted us!"
The elf nodded and continued "They were led by the King of the Dead. Since the line of Isildur was thought to have ended, no one could call upon the Dead Army to aid them in their hours of need, as they would only answer to an Heir of Isildur."
"Aragorn," whispered Xena and she received one final nod from Legolas.
Next, the corsairs of Umbar sail upriver. They were finally, there to stop the attack from the river and then aid Gondor. The fight had already started in Minas Tirith. The company of three stood alone on the shore watching the ships. The ships were stopped by the group of four, as Aragorn wanted to try first a more peaceful approach.
"You may go no further. You will not enter Gondor." Aragorn demanded.
Corsair scanned him from head to toe "Who are you to deny us passage?"
Aragorn signalled the Elf "Legolas, fire a warning shot past the bosun's ear."
Legolas prepared to fire. As the dwarf advised him "Mind your aim!"
The Elf released his arrow. Gimli nudged Legolas' bow with the edge of his axe, causing the arrow to hit a pirate square in the chest. And the man died. Legolas glared at Gimli with a 'what-did-you-do' look.
"Oh! That's it. We warned you. Prepare to be boarded." Gimli said as he gazed at Legolas with an innocent smile like he did not mean it. Xena rolled her eyes while watching the pair who were supposed to be spoken, enemies.
Corsair laugh at the threat "Boarded, by you and whose army?"
Aragorn shouted "This army."
The King of the Dead ran through Aragorn, leading his men in a charge to the ships. The sailors recoiled and yelled in terror. One by one was defeated by the army of the dead. Now the company of 3 and the dead would sail to Gondor. There they would meet with others, at the peak of the battle.
((Upcoming Chapter Sixty-Four)
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