Happy new year! Hope you guys all had a great christmas! To make up for the incredible short chapter last time here's a long one! Warning : this has blood, guts and gore! you have been warned...
Elanor woke with a jolt as the ship brushed against the side of the river. She blinked at the sun glaring down at her, forgetting for a moment where she was. She peered ahead and saw the outline of the small pier, beyond that the large green space of the fields and finally the glint of the white city of Gondor, aflame with black smoke. Distantly the sound of clashing swords and battle cries could be heard.
It had started.
Slowly Elanor climbed to her feet and walked towards the front of the boat where the others stood silently, staring out across the fields. As the boat drew nearer, Elanor could see the small army of orcs and goblins that stood by the pier waiting for the reinforcements that would never come. Elanor stood beside Legolas and slipped her hand into his. The Elf looked down at her and squeezed her hand reassuringly. Elanor looked over to Aragorn and caught his gaze. The ranger nodded. Edain and the others then left the group and jumped down into the hold, followed by the elven brethren. Elanor watched them go and then turned back to Legolas. The elf bent his head to hers, gave her a chaste kiss and whispered softly to her.
"Be safe."
Elanor nodded meekly and turned to follow the others but not before briefly glancing over to Legolas once more. They held each others gaze for a moment before Elanor disappeared below deck.
The hold was dark save for the narrow stream of light that came in through the opening in the ceiling. Elanor walked silently over to where Aeglos was stabled. Nobody said a word. The only sound came from the creaking of the boat and then a soft splash as the anchor was lowered and the boat began to slow. The rangers looked to each other then they untied the horses. One by one they led their animals to the deck, Brego following of his own accord. Then they all stood together, waiting. The ship slowed to a stop outside the dock. Elanors heart was thudding in her chest and she pushed the rising sickness to the bottom of her stomach. She glanced over to Edain who stared ahead towards the fields. His face was set with grim determination. Elanor took a deep breathe and steeled herself. Her hand settled tightly around the hilt of her sword, the cool metal a comfort to her. Elanor looked up as the leader orc army yelled out. Aragorn jumped down from the boat and strode forward. Raising his sword he broke into a run, charging at the army, the Dead at his heels.
Elanor spurred Aeglos forward as they raced towards the battlefield. The thundering hooves of their horses were drowned out as they passed the gate to the pier and came into sudden roar of a furious battle. Cries and screams flooded her ears and Elanor could only stare as fright gripped her. Thousands of men bearing the arms of the Rohirim and blackened orcs of Mordor filled her eyes, a writhing mass of armour and bloodshed. The company pulled bows from their back and began to fire upon their enemy as they rode towards them. The horses ran straight and so they kept her aim, each arrow hitting its mark. When her arrows were spent, Elanor threw aside her bow and pulled loose her sword. The company plunged into the battle and became separated in the mass. Elanor focused ahead of her, plunging her blade into the nearest orc, severing its arm. The creature howled in surprise and pain and it grasped at its shoulder with its other arm. Its cry was cut short as Elanor brought her sword down upon the orc, killing it instantly. Elanor pushed forward into the depth of the fields, wielding her sword skilfully. Some way ahead of her Elanor could see the Army of the Dead flowing over the enemy troops, overrunning the fields with an eerie green glow.
A harrowing cry, unlike anything Elanor had ever heard, screeched out above her head. Elanor suddenly grew cold as a black winged shadow flew over the fields. Elanor watched with horror as a giant winged beast came to rest on the ground some distance from her. It was not the beast that frightened her, but what it carried. Sitting upon the fell beasts back was the ragged black figure of the Nazgûl. Elanor stared transfixed when suddenly an arrow flew past her face and hit a man beside her. Elanor watched as the man fell and her heart stopped as she saw he wore clothes similar to hers. As the man rolled along the floor, his cloak fell away revealing his face. A moment of relief came over her as she did not recognise him, swiftly followed by guilt for being glad it was not one of her group. But Elanor did not have time for pity as a goblin leapt onto Aeglos back, a dagger in its hand. It faced her and brought its hand down swifty. The blade pierced her left forearm but she grabbed the creatures' wrist before it could push the blade deeper. Elanor struggled against it and with a burst of strength, pushed the goblin from Aeglos' back. The horse reared and stomped down, crushing the goblin beneath her hooves. Elanor pulled the blade from her arm with a grimace and threw it on the ground. A cry was heard and Elanor turned to see a blond haired man upon his horse drive a long silver tipped spear into the body of an Orc which rode upon a monstrous dark-haired warg.
The Orc howled in anger and kicked its warg viciously. The beast roared and leapt forward, its huge jaws clamping shut around the neck of the Rohan soldiers' horse. With alarming strength the warg pulled the horse to the ground, ripping the horses' throat. The man was flung roughly from his saddle and the orc brought its broad blade down onto the defenceless soldier before he could right himself. The Orc sneered and the man cried out as he died. The fright that once gripped Elanor was replaced with an anger that was greater than her fear. She dug her heels into Aeglos' flank and spurred her on, charging straight at the Orc rider. With a guttural cry Elanor swung her blade and cleaved the head of her enemy clean from its body, the look of surprise still on its face as its head hit the ground.
She turned in her saddle and plunged her sword down into the head of the warg, using both hands to push the blade down into its skull. With a heave Elanor pulled the blade free of the dead animal and righted herself when the ground below her shook with the heavy sound of thunder. Elanor looked behind her and gasped as beasts the size of castles with legs as thick as trees stomped towards her. The ground trembled with each step the powerful creature took and upon its back it carried dark skinned warriors that shot at her with arrows. Aeglos jolted forward weaving between the animals thick, grey skinned legs. She rode out from under the beast and turned as it let out a bellowing cry and waved its gigantic head. Large tusks protruded from its mouth and it swung them back and forth, knocking men from their horses and trampling them under its foot. Men fired arrows into the hide of the beast but it did little to stop it; the sharp heads hardly pierced the pelt and just stuck harmlessly into its thick skin.
Suddenly there was a strangled cry, like a struggling horn blower. Elanor looked behind in amazement as one of the animals began to fall. Its legs buckled beneath it and the beast collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud. Elanor just caught the glimpse of a figure in green leap from the creature as it fell. Elanor let out a gasp of relief when she recognised Legolas. He was alive.
She began to panic as she realised that she had not seen any of the others. Among the frenzy she had lost sight of her friends. Alarmed, Elanor looked around her. So intent was she on finding her friends she did not see another mounted Orc rider race towards her. The warg lunged forward and Aeglos reared, narrowly avoiding the yellow fangs that snapped dangerously close to her legs. Elanor dove forward with her arm outstretched but the orc was too far and it easily batted her blade away with its metal shield. The shield hit her blade with a heavy clang sending a sharp pain through her arm. Elanor pulled Aeglos around to circle the orc and struck out with her blade. Its tip caught the orc across its face, gouging its cheek and snapping its head to the side. The creature did not cry out but merely brought its head slowly back round to face her, an evil grin across its face.
The orc let out a low growling laughter and struck out with its blade. Elanor parried the blow but could not stop the orc as it swung its shield. The solid metal struck her square in the chest, forcing the air from her lungs. The force of the blow threw her backwards and she fell from Aeglos' back. The mare panicked and stomped as Elanor lay winded on the ground. The ranger screamed as yellow fangs closed around her shoulder and a large paw pushed her down, clawing her flesh. She struck out wildly with her blade and blindly caught the warg on its head. The beast yelped and released her. Ignoring the crushing pain in her chest and the tear in her shoulder, Elanor struggled to her knees and plunged her sword into the wargs ribs. The beast reared up and collapsed on its side, trapping its rider beneath it. The orc roared and struggled to lift its dead mount. Elanor pulled herself up and flung herself over the dead warg pushing her sword into the orc trapped beneath it. The orc snarled and glared at her as she pushed her blade further into its body. Elanor gagged as black blood gurgled from its mouth and the stench of putrid flesh and sodden armour was so strong she could taste it in her mouth. With a choking gasp the creature died and Elanor heaved her sword from its body and collapsed on the ground. She clasped a hand to her shoulder and flinched as her fingers touched deep wounds. Shakily she took her hand away and saw her own blood painted her hand. Her left arm was useless now. Elanor let out a shuddering breathe and pushed herself up, leaning against the dead warg. Numbly she looked around her. The bodies of many, friend and foe, lay about her. Elanor groaned and pulled herself up, fuelled by a sudden realisation of how lucky she had been. Strength grew in her; She would not die here.
Elanor looked up and saw the Army of Dead flooding the gates of Gondor and rising up its tiered walls, killing the remaining Mordor troops. A deathly silence had fallen upon the fields and Elanor stumbled through the fallen warriors and cried out when she saw Aeglos stood still amongst the dead. She called out to her and the mare snorted and trotted towards her. Elanor clung to her neck and reins as the horse let her lean against her, seeking strength. Together they moved forward, Elanor stumbling as the pain in her chest worsened.
And then, just as Elanor has almost lost hope, she found them. Aragorn stood near the battles edge, the Dead army floating before him. He spoke to them, but Elanor could not hear his words, only the thudding of the blood in her ears. The army seemed to shimmer and then faded into nothing, as if blown away by the wind. Elanor blinked slowly, tears clouding her eyes. She could see Gimli and Edain standing with Aragorn. And then her eyes fell upon Legolas. She cried out to him and stumbled. The group turned suddenly. They each cried out as they saw her and ran towards her but Legolas was the swiftest and caught her before she fell. Elanor threw herself into Legolas' arms, wrapping herself tightly around him. She sobbed in relief and clung to him, unable to find words. She glanced up to see Elrohirs dirt covered face looked down at her. Elanor blinked slowly as she felt the energy leave her body. She smiled softly at her father before she slipped into darkness.
How was that? I confess I love writting the action parts. I'm a bit of an action/horror buff so I like a bit of blood in my stories.
Hope this makes up for the previous chapter!
(also there was something maybe someone could explain. I think I've asked this before but some people have been reviewing and called my story a 'Mary-sue' and I have no idea what that is! We don't really have that term in England, so if someone could explain that'd be great.. I'm hoping it's not an insult!)