The battle went on with great ferocity for hours. Night has fallen and most of the siege towers had been destroyed so the archers could fire undisturbed by hand to hand combat.
However most of the troops were now in front of the city gates for Grond had weakened it and it was just a matter of time before the city was breached. Gandalf was there in the first line accompanied by Finduilas and Luthien. They could feel the growing fear in the hearts of men. At that moment the gate trembled and opened a little as Grond stroke again.
Gandalf knew the next hit would break open the gate "You are soldiers of Gondor. No matter what comes through that gate you will stand your ground"
Grond hits the gate once more. It bursts open and in charge Cave Trolls brandishing huge maces. Gandalf looks alarmed
"Volley" He shouts to the archers while taking his sword "Fire"
They fire into the Trolls and the infantry lower their spears in defence. Orcs advance on them and there is fierce hand-to-hand fighting. The Trolls follow up swinging their maces from side to side sweeping aside all opposition. The three friends fight with all their power, Luthien using both her sword and also chants of power that drives fear to the orcs and trolls. Many foes are killed by their swords.
However Gondor forces are slowly driven back as they can't hold back the numerous enemies.
After two hours the situation is desperate, Gandalf shouts "Retreat! The city is breached. Fall back to the second level. Get the women and children out. Get them out. Retreat"
In the midst of combant They saw Pippin running towards them, Luthien screamed "Pippin get out of here" but Pippin face showed something very terrible was about to happen and he said to them "Denethor has lost his mind. He's burning Faramir alive"
They all looked shocked for a moment and Gandalf said to Pippin "Up! Quickly!"
Then he turns to the elves and says "Try to hold them as long as you can" but Luthien added "I'm going with you" then she jumped on a horse as Gandalf also swings Pippin up onto Shadowfax and then they gallop towards the upper levels.
Suddenly, as they came out of a tunnel, The Witch King alights on his fell beast in front of them. Gandalf holds his staff in front of him and exclaims "Go back to the abyss! Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your master!"
The witch king replies in his dreadful voice "Do you not know death when you see it, old man? This is my hour!"
Then he draws his sword which bursts into flames, but at that moment Luthien stood to face him. "Save Faramir" she told Gandalf while taking her sword and staring hard at the lord of the nazgul
Gandalf galloped again and the witchking tried to stop him but Luthien jumped again in front of him and said "Where are you going slave of Morgoth?? Are you afraid of me?"
The witch king said "Foolish she-elf. Don't stand between the nazgul and his prey" then he swung his sword at her but to his shock she responded with great speed and the two swords clashed.
He sensed her power in that blow and he felt something that he hadn't felt for a long time; Fear; The same fear he felt when he fled from Glorfindel in the battle of Fornost. The same light burned in the eyes of the Elven warrior.
They both raise their swords again but then they hear in the distance the sound of a great horn. The witch king turns to it and listens, looks back at Luthien and then flies off on his beast
Luthien stares in the distance with hope in her eyes "King theoden" she says to herself, then she jumps on her horse and makes her way up to the upper level
As she arrived she went directly to the King's hall and was greeted by a very disturbing sight. She saw Denethor was on fire running towards a window and then jumped to his own death. Faramir laid in the ground half unconscious. He was taken to the house of Healing that was filled with people.
As they made sure Faramir was under care, Gandalf, Luthien and Pippin went back to the battle.
They found Finduilas Leading the forces of the city in front of the entrance to the third level of the city.
She saw them and exclaimed "How is he, How is Faramir?"
They told her everything and she just said with sadness "I feel sorry for Denethor". Then she added "Did you see Gandalf?? Théoden king has arrived to help us" she stopped for a moment and continued "I wish I could go down there to fight at their side"
Time passed and soon the doors are attacked from the other side.
Gondor soldiers stand in readiness. The four friends sit at one side together. Pippin looks at Gandalf " I didn't think it would end this way. " he said without hope Gandalf looks at him and says "End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take" Pippin just listens with intently "The grey rain curtain of this world rolls back and all turns to silvered glass. And then you see it."
Pippin asks, hope back in his eyes "What? Gandalf? See what?"
Gandalf continues with a look in his face that shows happiness "White shores and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise" then he smiles at Pippin who smiles back at him and adds "Well, that's not so bad." Gandalf assures him "No. No it isn't."
Back at the door the soldiers are trying to prevent them breaking through. Finduilas puts a comforting hand in Pippin's shoulder and he closes his eyes, trying to gain more courage.
Just in the last moment when the door was about to break open, the attack suddenly stopped.
Confusion was written in their faces, but then their heard voices coming from the upper levels screaming with joy. "Look. Look they are running away".
They stared in the distance and saw as the hosts of Sauron, even the mighty oliphants, were being swept away by the strangest army they have ever seen. Only Gandalf exclaimed with surprise "He took the path of the dead…." The two elves and Pippin stared at Gandalf with confusion, but he just continued to say mostly to himself "Narsil has been re-forged.. the King has returned"