So here is the next chapter, thank you for much for the feedback and I hope you enjoy this instalment.

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Paths of the Dead

The sun now high above mountain top fought to shine through the thick grey cloud that filled the sky, as they slowly made their way through the pass. The stoney ground making it difficult for the horses to walk, often stumbling as the rocks shifted beneath their hooves.

'What kind of an army would linger in such a place?' said Gimli, breaking silence that had hung over the three of them for several hours.

'One that is cursed.' Replied Legolas softly, looking back at his dwarfish passenger 'Long ago the Men of the Mountain swore an oath to the last king of Gondor, to come to his aid, to fight. But when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire, they fled, vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. And so Isildur cursed them, never to rest, until they had fulfilled their pledge.'

Gimli shivered at his friends reply, he continued to look around taking in his surroundings but was disturbed when he felt Legolas' body go rigid. He grabbed the elf's arm and shook him as if trying to pull the elf back to reality.

'Who shall call them from the grey twilight?' Said Legolas suddenly, causing Aragorn and Gimli to look at him in confusion, the elf's blue orbs fixed on the path ahead as he continued '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.'

Gimli then felt the elf's body relax again as he slumped slightly in his saddle, his forehead glittered as his fever continued to batter him.

'Legolas?' Said Aragorn as he slowed his horse to a halt allowing his companions horse to catch up.

'I am fine Mellon-Nin. Just a little tired.' was his reply as he smiled at the man weakly 'I wish I had some sort of control over what ever this is.' finished the elf as he rubbed his eyes.

The continued on, the sides littered with dead trees. The air seemed to get thicker and colder as they reached a dark, narrow path at the end of the mountain pass. The tree of them dismounted their steeds, taking small, weary steps towards a dark archway adorned in skulls, runes carved deeply into the stones above it.

'The very warmth of my blood seems stole away.' Whispered Gimli, panting like he was short of breath.

They stopped before the entrance, hearts racing.

''The way is shut. It was made by those who were dead, and the dead keep it. The way is shut.' said Legolas as he read the from the symbols above them,

A strong wind blew from inside the doorway causing the horses to flee in fear.

'BREGO!' Shouted Aragorn as he tried to grab his mounts reigns, but they galloped away leaving their masters behind.

Aragorn turned back towards the entrance, his face was one filled with determination.

'I do not fear death!' he said as he drew he sword and walked through the arch.

Legolas followed closely behind him, not hesitating for a moment but Gimli did hesitate. He stood there for a few moments as he watched the man and the elf vanish into the black abyss before him.

'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!' he said to himself before sprinting after his companions.

He was greeted by Aragorn grabbed a torch from the rough stone wall, jumping as the torch lit itself in the rangers hand.

'This place is unnatural Aragorn.' he said as he grabbed the ranger by his arm.

Aragorn gave him a quick glance before shrugging off his friends warning and continuing on through the dark caverns. The walls were littered with skulls and drawings that only Legolas could understand. A thick green fog rose from beneath them, Legolas looked around him like he was in a room filled with people.

'What is it? What do you see?' Quized the Dwarf as he his jaw dropped at the mounds of skulls and bones that surrounded them.

Legolas' eyes widened as he continued to scan their path 'I see shapes of men and of horses.' he said as he stopped briefly, peering into a small archway that revealed a cavern filled with human remains.

'Where?' replied the dwarf as he stared at the elf, his breaths coming in short panicked pants.

'Pale banners like shreds of cloud. Spears rise like winter-thickets through a shroud of mist. The dead are following. They have been summoned.' he replied as he darted off after Aragorn.

He could hear voices, but could not make out what they said as he practically floated over the bones that littered the cave floor. His heart began to race as the walls began to crumble around him, skulls falling like water through a broken damn, screaming filled his ears as he raised his hands in front of him as he yelled in fear. He was pulled out of his daze by Aragorn who stood and stared at him in confusion. Legolas did not wait to hear what he knew that ranger would say and darted off in front of him, coming to a large cavern with building face's carved into its high walls. ''

They looked around at the vast empty cave. A large building stood in the centre, its walls crumbling were crumbling and large stones littered the dusty floor.

'Who enters my domain?' said a voice.

They looked around but they could not see where it came from, and they shared a worried glance. Soon a shape began to form before them. A man appeared before them, his clothes were torn and skin rotten and he glowed green at the base of the ramshackle steps.

'One who will have your allegiance.' spat Aragorn as he turned to face the ghost, all the fear that he felt vanished like smoke in the wind.

'The dead do not suffer the living to pass.' it replied, expression filled with a mixture of anger and amusement.

'You will suffer me.' Replied Aragorn as he grabbed tightly onto the hilt of his sword.

The ghost began to laugh and it echoed across the great cave, becoming so deep it almost sounded like thunder on a stormy night.

Legolas' mind began to swim as watched a whole army of dead men appear before his eyes. Their spears raised high as the boney faces stared at the three companions.

'The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead. And the dead keep it.' said the ghost as he took a step towards the trio 'The way is shut. Now you must die.' he finished as his pace quickened.

'The elf shot an arrow between their leaders eyes but it shot right through him and ricocheted off the step behind.

'I summon you to fulfill your oath.' said Aragorn, his voice calm.

'None but the King of Gondor may command me!' he replied as he began to raise his sword.

Aragorn raised Andúril in front of him, taking a deep breath as he did so. The leader swung his sword at the ranger, but was shocked when it was stopped dead by the Aragorn's.

'That bind was broken!' he spat as he stared the ranger straight in the eyes.

'It has been remade.' replied Aragorn before shoving the ghost back.

Legolas watched as Aragorn tried to convince the army of the dead to join their cause but a pit was forming in his stomach. He eyes scanned the met that stood about them, their faces we void of all emotion. He was looked back at Aragorn who was now shouting, begging for them to stay.

'You have my word! Fight, and I will release you from this living death! What say you?' he boomed.

The army vanished into thin air, the leaders laugh still echoing through the cave.

'Stand, you traitors!' shouted Gimli as he raised his axe above his head.

Legolas heart raced, his ears could hear a low rumble from behind the large stone wall in front of them.

'Aragorn we must leave now!' Said the Elf, his voice shaking.

'No we must make them see.' was the mans reply as he sheathed his sword.

'Aragorn I…' before Legolas could finish the rumbling because know to the man and the dwarf.

The stone walls began to crack and skulls started to spill onto the floor. Aragorn looked at the elf before grabbing Gimli by his shoulder.

'OUT!' he shouted as he made for the a small archway at the end of the cavern.

Legolas stood there paralysed in fear as he watched more skulls poor through the now gaping holes in the stone walls. His vision had come to pass and now he felt like his boots were made of stone.

'LEGOLAS!' shouted Aragorn as he turned to see the elf still stood where they had been seconds before.

The elf turned his head to look at his friend but still he could not move. His face was painted with fear and tears flooded his cheeks. Aragorn managed to reach the doorway and turned to look at the elf again. Their eyes met and he watched in horror as the elf was buried beneath the millions of skulls that flowed like water through raging rapids.

'LEGOLAS!' He screamed again as tears began to fill his eyes.

Gimli grabbed the ranger by his arm and pulled him through the small tunnel as that too began to fill with skulls and rocks. They stumbled into the grass hillside, coughing from the dust that filled their lungs. Aragorn turned and stared at the doorway from which they just stumbled from.

'I have to go back.' said the man as he walked back towards the stone arch, but he was stopped by the firm grip of the dwarf.

'Don't be a fool.' spat the dwarf 'the elf will be fine I am sure of it.' he finished, trying to hide his grief from his companion.

They stood in silence staring at the doorway waiting for the elf to appear, but he didn't. Aragorn began to shake as he fell to his knees, tears fell freely down his dirt covered cheeks.

'He just stood there, why did he just stand there?' he asked as his head dropped.

'Aragorn.' said the dwarf.

Aragorn looked up to see the leader of the dead suddenly stood before him. Aragorn stood to face him, his expression changed from grief to shock. He opened his mouth but could not find any words.

'We fight.' said the ghost as held the mans gaze.

Aragorn nodded in thanks but could not stop his grief from resurfacing.

'The elf, is he dead?' asked the dwarf as he walked to the Ranger's side.

'I do no know the fate of your elvish friend.' it replied 'search for him if you wish.' he replied before turned back and returning from whence he came.

Aragorn didn't hesitate and he clambered back through the tunnel. He was greeted by a sea of bones, the floor was littered with them but most of them had fallen down the great hole in the floor. Aragorn scanned the ground for any sign of the elf, his heart pounded in his chest. His eyes caught sight of Legolas' quiver and he ran as fast as he could towards it. As he got closer he saw the elf laying motionless, his face covered in blood.

'Legolas!' he yelled as he dropped to his companions side.

Other than the cutes that littered his face, the elf seemed to be relatively unharmed. Aragorn scooped his unconscious friend into his arms and carried him out of the dark cave that had almost become his tomb. Carefully he stepped over rock and bone to emerge from the cave to a worried dwarf that was wearing a path in the grass from his pacing.

'GImli he is alive.' said Aragorn as he laid Legolas on the ground 'A little battered and bruised but I do think that he shall live. He is one stubborn elf.'

'Thank you mellon-nin.' said the elf as he cracked open his eyes.

'You gave us quite a scare.' said the dwarf as he leant again his axe.

'Aragorn the skulls,' said Legolas propped himself up on one of his elbows 'I had a vision of it, I saw the walls fall about us.' he said as he looked at his friend dead in the eyes.

'So what you are saw came to pass?' Replied the Ranger.

Legolas nodded grimly. Aragorn looked down the hill to the river flowed below. The black ships that Elrond had told him about sailed upon its murky waters. He then saw the villages that sat along its banks were ablaze. He felt anger boil up inside of him but he quashed it and turned his attention back to his oldest friend that now lay before him.

'Come let me tend to your wounds.' said the Ranger.

He helped Legolas to his feet and walk him towards a large boulder, sitting him upon it he then pulled some bandages from his pack. Soaking the fabric with water from his water-skin, he started to clean the blood from the elf's face.

'Aragorn I think we need to speak about the visions that I am having.' said Legolas, wincing as Aragorn dabbed one of his deeper cuts 'I think perhaps they could help us.'

'Legolas, each vision that you have makes you weaker and weaker,' said the Ranger as he continued to work 'they will almost certainly kill you.' he finished.

'It's a small price to pay Mellon-nin, if it means that Frodo can succeed in his quest.' said Legolas, as he looked at his friend and smiled weakly.

'No, we will find another way to win this war.' spat Aragorn as he stood up swiftly, stuffing his supplies angrily back into his pack.

Legolas watched the ranger as he walked back towards the doorway, carved into the mountainside.

'COME NOW! WE HAVE WORK TO DO.' he yelled as he pulled his sword from its sheath and stormed back towards Legolas and Gimli 'Come, we have some ships to commandeer' he finished as he stalked down the hillside towards the fast approaching ships.

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Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will get the next one up soon.