R&R Chapter 12: A Legend walks among us
Essenia; Tear:
Sliding Callandor into it's custom-made sheathe, Rand prepared to confront Sauroman's army at Helm's Deep.
"My lord, please reconsider.."-Rodrivar Tihera pleaded, once more, with his king.
"We've been over this, Captain, I will not send anymore of my people to fight another nation's battle...and for what is expected, i alone should be enough."-Rand said grimly.
There had been a time when he would have thought himself mad...to be enough, alone, to take on 10,000...
"You must except an honor guard at least!"-Rodrivar pleaded, not letting up in the slightest.
Sighing, Rand gave in.
"No more than a hundred!"-Rand said in annoyance to the smiling military commander of Tear's forces.
The First Captain of the Defender's left swiftly to gather, what Rand assumed, what were likely the best soldiers Tear had to offer.
With a snort, Rand wondered if he should actually wear the armor he'd had, but never used.
He planned on launching long-range attacks using Saiden, so he wouldn't have to worry about movement so much. But plans were never a sure thing.
'Would it cause the morale boost that i hope it does?'
'Or would it simply be a waste of time and effort?'
'Well...it does look pretty good and it should get used at some point, otherwise, it's useless, right?'-Rand finished asking questions to himself as he stared at the armor in the room that had always been more of a decorative piece than anything else.
Rohan; Edoras: Morning
"Helm's Deep is about a day's ride by horse to the west"-Theoden explained to Rand.
"We must make haste, else Sauroman's forces will be upon us before we can reach the safety of it's walls."-Theoden said.
"Understood"-Rand replied simply, signaling to his 100 men, and their mounts, to follow.
Rohan; Helm's Deep: Evening
The fortress was humble, yet impressive as it sat against the sides of mountains.
It had roughly 500 defenders already there, added to that would be Theoden's 1,500 soldiers that had either; followed with them, or, had joined them since leaving Edoras.
Adding in the Defender's, that would bring the total defending troops to 2,100 against Sauroman's estimated 10,000 or so Uruk-Hai that would shortly be upon them as the day turned to dusk and then night.
Rand noticed the men of Rohan giving him and his soldiers curious glances, likely wondering who they were, as their armor was unfamiliar. All in all, the men of Rohan seemed to perk up a little at the sight of them, going from a dismal appearance to that of determined.
The Defender's were veterans of the Last Battle, a battle on such a scale as no man from this world could even begin to imagine. Contests for a throne in his world had easily involved numbers as great as what they were about to face.
Rand moved down the wall towards where Aragorn stood, ever watchful over the Hornburg.
Aragorn was tense, trepidation of the looming battle ahead beginning to seep into him. Looking to his left, he saw the nearby men shifting their feet in a restless manner, the fear and uncertainty for the coming battle already showing on some of their faces. To his right, he saw much of the same before he saw Rand Al'Thor and a few of his men making their way towards him on the wall.
Aragorn grimaced, 'He should not be leaving his post, it will weaken us'-he thought, apprehensive over Rand thinning the numbers of men from a particular area upon the wall.
"Lord Aragorn! I was wondering if you would indulge me in answering a few questions!"-Al'Thor said loudly as thunder from an approaching storm boomed all around, as he approached.
"Make them quick and to the point, our time grows short for such things!"-Aragorn said as he waved towards the coming horde of orcs in the distance.
Al'Thor nodded in response.
"What is it you would ask of me, king of Essenia?"-Aragorn said, unable to stop his curiosity about this man from coming to the surface, momentarily.
"In the past few months, since i arrived here, i can't help but be confused on some things. Yes, to the point."-Rand said, seemingly gathering his thoughts about whatever it was that he wanted to know.
"You all seem to think that the force headed here is a great threat but it is only a mere 10,000? Would you be able to tell me the population, or the estimated fighting force, of all the nations of the land?"-Rand asked, honestly sounding confused.
'A mere 10,000?! How could he not consider that a great force to be reckoned with?'-Aragorn thought in shock, till he remembered something that Rand Al'Thor had said; 'I brought 30,000 men to the defense of Gondor at Osgiliath, where we drove Sauron's forces back but Denethor had been outraged...i had him dethroned for his madness shortly there-after'-Aragorn reflected. At first he thought Al'Thor was boasting or just mistaken about bringing such a force there and had merely pushed such thoughts to the back of his mind in light of Denethor II being dethroned.
"Why do you not consider 10,000 a great force?"-Aragorn responded with his own question.
"Because, where i am from, that is small potatoes"-Rand said with a grim smile about him.
Aragorn, conflicted and unsure, thought about what could possibly be mustered from the free people's of Middle-Earth that could be called upon to fight against Sauron. He had no real way of knowing, of course, but he thought that, optimistically, 30,000 to 50,000 could eventually be rallied to fight back against Sauron if they were to consolidate and join together.
Aragorn asked Rand another question, since if 10,000 were as he considered 'small potatoes', what did he consider to be large? "Rand Al'Thor, what is the largest army you've ever seen?"-Aragorn asked.
"In one place? Probably the one on the Field of Merrilor, where all the forces of the light had gathered to discuss on how to drive the Shadow back...i estimate, and this is just a guess now, but i think there must have been somewhere around 1 million assembled before the Seanchan joined, probably bringing a total of 1.3 million soldiers."-Rand said, looking thoughtful.
'A million'-Aragorn tried to wrap his head around the number after Rand proceeded to explain it to him after he'd just asked what 'million' meant.
"A million is 10 groups of 100,000"-Rand had said.
The Aragorn thought os something that he just realized...this man probably commanded a force as great or larger than that of all the free people's of Middle-Earth combined!
Aragorn's eyes widened at his revelation about the man before him.
"Why did you not bring more men here then?"-Aragorn asked, half dreading the answer.
"I did not want any more of my people to die for another nation, especially one that i have yet to make an official alliance with, like i do with Gondor"-Rand said as he shifted his stance, seeming to get defensive about the question.
"Well, on behalf of Gondor's people, i thank you for you, and your nation's help"-Aragorn said with a small bow of his head.
"Right well.."-Rand seemed somewhat embarrassed, though that faded quickly..."Against only 10,000, with soldiers and the defense of these walls...i should be able to destroy the invaders on my own."-Rand said with seriousness and a grim look of honesty at his own words.
'If what he just said is true...could he be a greater conjurer than Sauron himself?'-Aragorn wondered, just as enemy horns began to blow and many torch-lights could be seen on the now darkened horizon.
"But, about my earlier question...how many people, or soldiers, are there in the Westlands here?"-Rand asked, again upon his earlier question.
With trepidation and apprehension, Aragorn told him honestly of what he could only speculate on-"In all honesty Rand Al'Thor, you more than likely command more forces than what we, the free people's, could muster"-Arragorn said, half sad at that answer.
"I was afraid of that."-Rand said, shaking his head and walked away to his previous position on the wall.
Only now did Aragorn think that the greatest hope for them against Sauron and his forces, as well as Sauroman and his forces, would be the aid from Rand and his people...Aragorn thought this as he watched Al'Thor move along the wall before turning his gaze back out and onto the invading horde.
xxxxx
Gimli jumped up and down on the battlement, trying to peer over the wall, through the now down-pouring rain, to get a view of the assembled army that he could hear beyond the wall.
"What's happening out there?!"-Gimli said
"Shall i describe it to you..."Logolas said, causing the dwarf to look over and up at the elf.
"...or would you like me to find you a box"-Legolas said, as he looked down at the dwarf.
A somewhat tense moment passed as Gimli stared at Legolas until Gimli began to laugh.
xxxx
The orcs began to slam their weapons on the ground in a rhythmic fashion.
'I should probably start doing my part in this while they're all bunched up in formation'-Rand mused to himself.
Rand grabbed hold of the raging inferno of molten rock and avalanche of ice that was Saidin.
Vision sharper, color more pronounced and brighter, all his senses heightened and now he felt 'truly alive'.
Callandor, griped in his right hand, began to glow brightly as the power began to flood through it...
Rand looked up, through the downpour, and smirked, for he knew what he would use to start his onslaught.
No longer would lightnings flash horizontally through the night sky this night...for now they would flash down, vertically, into the earth and the invaders below.
The storm would add to his merciless intent as the power raged within him...
xxxx
Aragorn was about to give the command to draw the bows' arrow's back in preparation of launching a volley, when light and sound exploded all around him. The ground shook and his ears rang as he grabbed onto the wall, closing his eyes.
'A lightning strike!'-Aragorn thought, until the next second came and went, disabusing him of his assumption as the roar continued, unabated.
xxxx
"Oh come on! Lemme at'em!"-Gimli said, restless, as he hefted his axe.
The elf, Legolas, smiled down at his dwarf companion, "you think you can kill more with that ax of yours than i can with my bow and blades?"-Legolas smirked, appearing to be jovial.
"Just you wait!"-Gimli replied cheerfully.
"I have no real need to wait, friend, i could begin now with my bow, but then that would be unfair to you wouldn't it"-Legolas said, still smiling.
"You'll need that advantage to keep up with.."-Gimli was saying when the world turned from night to day and the ground shook with tremendous force as sound exploded all around them.
xxxx
Theoden looked out upon the battlements and the invaders beyond from his position on the inner-most wall of the keep.
Rain continued to fall upon them, as if the very skies wept for those of his people that would likely lose their lives this night.
His consternation of Rand Al'Thor's meager 100 soldiers caused him to scoff towards the young ruler, thinking him full of himself. It was a token force, though he would not turn away a single soldier to join in their defense, a small force such as that would likely not be able to turn the tied against so many arrayed against them.
'What was the man thinking, bringing so few?'-Theoden, King of Rohan wondered as the host before them started a rhythmic bashing against the ground, trying to lower their morale.
Hopefully the rain would slacken their foe's grip on their weapons and unbalance their footing. But he knew that the same would be of his own brave men.
Al'Thor's men could be easily identified, even through the downpour, as their armor was of a different make.
Most had feathery plumes adorning their uniforms of black and gold. Burnished armor that shone in the darkness, and their rimmed, round helmets with face-guards of steel bars and a ridge over the top...
The night suddenly turned to day as; light and sound exploded, the ground shook and he was forced to grab hold for support as he closed his eyes against the offending light and the explosion of sound that drowned out all other noise.
xxxx
The light blinded, the sound deafened, and the ground destabilized those left standing as Rand let the weaves for lightning fade.
As the light receded, Rand caught his first glimpse of his handy-work as some bodies of the Uruk-Hai were still raining down from the explosions, from hundreds of lightning bolts that had slammed into them.
Their formations had been scattered, though a scant few groups of 500 or more in close proximity to one-another still held their ground...
'Should i use Blossoms of Fire or Deathgates?'-Rand mused within his head as he surveyed the carnage below.
'Blossoms of Fire would scatter them more while keeping the rest on the ground and back. Although Deathgates would sure help to leave less...never-mind, it'd be too messy'-Rand finished his line of thought for his next attack.
Weaving Earth, Air, and Fire to create six bars of red; the width of a man's forearm and ten feet tall, amplified by Callandor that still shone brightly, he cast them out upon the enemy that was still picking themselves up off the ground.
xxxx
Aragorn's vision was slowly returning with the fading light, though his ears still rang.
Standing straight once more, his eye's widened at what was, still, before him.
It was as if a giant hand had gouged pockets out of the enemy and earth below, showing large swaths of area's within the enemy ranks that were devoid of anything but un-moving corpses.
'I should be able to destroy the invaders', on my own'-Rand's words echoed through Aragorn's head as he looked into the army that was just now standing back up.
Aragorn looked down the wall to his right where he knew Rand Al'Thor should be, only to see a bright light. Though, as he registered this, 6 red bars of light suddenly sprang into existence before flying out from the wall and towards the remaining ranks of the Uruk-Hai.
xxxx
"By Vala Aule! What was that!"-Gimli exclaimed, standing back up.
Legolas was slow in responding as his sight and hearing returned, only catching the last of what Gimli said.
"I do not know..."-Legolas said as he trailed off, seeing a glowing spike down the wall from them.
Before he could say more, 6 bars of red, 10 feet high sprang into being before shooting out towards the remaining enemy ranks from where the bright spike of light was...
xxxx
The bright light receded, leaving blurry vision and ringing ears.
"What happened!?"-Theoden said, though he did not hear himself speak the words.
As his vision returned, he turned his gaze onto a bright light upon the wall, directly where he'd had Rand Al'Thor and his small contingent of men stationed.
His eyes widened in realization at how must have been responsible for the previous light and sound that had rocked them.
He looked out upon a disorganized army, shattered and dazed by the fearsome attack.
There was considerably less now, thousands had disappeared from their ranks...
There were some cries of joy that he heard vaguely, in the distance...
Something caught his eye, 6 long bars of red, flying towards the scattered ranks that remained.
He watched as they expanded to thrice their starting size as they exploded among the enemy's remaining formations, causing bubbles of dry and open air in the rain from the shock-waves, creating a surreal sight before him.
xxxx
Aragorn kept a hand up in front of his face, fingers splayed so he could watch what happened as flashes of light from the exploding red bars blew apart the enemy.
Sometimes, from the explosions, the downpour would momentarily worsen before slacking, and then repeating the cycle, like the waves on the beach.
'What terrible power'-Gandalf thought, as he momentarily took his eyes from the slaughter to the man he knew was doing this. Well, towards the bright, glowing light that marked his position on the wall.
This action saved him, just in time, from the return of the thunderous roar that began to repeat itself as the red explosions continued...
xxxx
All poor Gimli could see was flashes of light and the sounds of explosions as the ground beneath him quaked with every passing 'boom'.
Legolas looked, however, looked on through squinted eyes with awe and horror as the Uruk-Hai flew apart when a bar of red hit them.
What's happening pointy-ears! What's going on!"-Gimli yelled out to be heard above the crashing booms, as he tried, and failed, to jump up and down as the ground shook.
"Death...death and destruction..."-Legolas said slowly and quietly, not caring if his dwarven companion heard him or not.
Within moments of this, day turned to night once again and whatever words may have been said or sights seen, were again drowned out.
xxxx
Over the past few minutes, Rand estimated that he'd decimated around 8,000 of the Uruk-Hai that were now broken and scattered. Those that could stand, did so, mostly ran in terror of what had been done to them. The defenders on the wall of Helm's Deep had not had a chance to swing their swords or even let loose a single arrow.
Rand directed some last weaves of Lightnings at a few choice target-groups before letting go of the 'source' and letting the world, seemingly, grow dim and drab, with him feeling only half alive compared to as before.
Looking around, soldiers stood straight again on shaking legs.
He couldn't blame them...not really.
They were made of some sterner stuff compared to the average, common folk, Rand mused as he gauged their reactions to seeing the One Power used in battle for the first time.
Rand looked up as the storm lessened, knowing that it would soon dissipate and clear night sky would reveal the stars...
xxxx
Aragorn watched the remaining Uruk-Hai run away in fear...unsure of what to do now that the battle...no, the slaughter was over...
xxxx
"It's over Gimli"-Legolas said with an eerily, hollow-sounding voice as he looked down upon where the enemy had once stood, rank and file.
Only now, those that remained and could, ran, fleeing for their lives.
"What do ya mean it's over! I have yet to see a single bloody orc!"-Gimli said, sounding affronted that he'd not gotten to battle a single opponent.
"Those that are yet alive, Gimli, are fleeing..."-Legolas said, somehow sounding sad...or perhaps disgusted, Gimli noted as he looked up at the far away look in the elf's eyes.
The silence stretched as they continued to stand there, along with everyone else around them on the wall...
xxxx
"My lord, it would appear that the remainder of the enemy is in retreat sire"
"So they are"-Theoden said as he continued to look over the landscape and the retreating, dark forms of the Uruk-Hai, as they ran into the distance and into where he knew the tree-line to be.
Theoden didn't know whether to try and risk sending that Rand Al'Thor away, or if he should grovel at his feet for mercy for him and his people of Rohan.
He had no doubt in his mind that what was witnessed here today would likely become legend.
"A legend walks among us"-Theoden said aloud, just loud enough that those around him heard his words, and a slight shudder escaped them.
A/N: So, i've really been into writing this...i'm releasing a double chapter today! This being 2/2.
So, as the War of the Ring will only be lasting for another month or so, time-skips will only be days at most instead of weeks or months like before.
Hopefully i get some feedback on this question in time, but, when shall Frodo and Sam make their appearance?
At the Black Gates(Morannon)?
At Cirith Ungol by Minus Morgul, where Frodo is captured by Orcs after encountering that giant spider(Shelob)?
At Mount Doom perhaps?