Written by Sunni
Pippin rounded a corner and saw the small processional headed for the tombs of the Kings. Denethor walked at the head of the processional, a lit torch in his hands and behind him was a group of men carrying Faramir upon a funeral litter. The hobbit raced forward towards the steward as he pushed open the doors to the House of the Stewards.
"No tomb for Denethor and Faramir. No long slow sleep of death embalmed. We shall burn like the heathen kings of old..." The steward said, turning to one of the guards and commanding; "Bring wood and oil!"
Down below as the orcs are trying to break open the gates to the City of Kings, Xander and Gandalf command the men with them.
"Steady, steady!" they both call, when the gates finally begin to give way after the repeated battering it had been taking.
As the nose and mouth of the battering ram that was in the shape of flaming wolf like creature pierced through the gates, Gandalf proclaimed, "You are soldiers of Gondor! No matter what comes through that gate, you will stand your ground!"
When the gate finally bursts open and several trolls in full battle armor come in, Xander commands the archers behind him; "Volley! Fire!"
While the fighting ensues within the courtyard of the lowest level of Minas Tirith, Denethor is preparing his son's pyre. As the guards place stacks of wood around it though, Faramir begins to come out of unconsciousness. Denethor touches his son's face one last time as he says, "The house of his spirit crumbles... He is burning... Already burning..."
Pippin runs to the Ithilien prince's side and tried to remove the wood around him saying hysterically, "He's not dead! He's not dead!"
Striding over to the small hobbit, Denethor drags him away from the pyre and throws him upon the ground, ignoring the cries of the hobbit proclaiming that his son was alive and said coldly, "Peregrin son of Paladin. I release you from my service. Go now and die in what way seems best for you..."
As he turned, he reentered the House of Stewards and closed the doors behind him, leaving Pippin upon the ground. Wasting no time the hobbit rose and goes in a desperate search of Gandalf or Xander. He ran desperately through the city as madness ensued around him, but he was determined to save Faramir but in order to do that, he needed help.
"Gandalf! Xander! Where are they!" Where is Gandalf and Xander!" Pippin cried as he dodged falling buildings in search of those he was looking for.
Down at the courtyard before the ruined gates, Xander and Gandalf order the troops to fall back, "Retreat! The city is breached!" Gandalf called aloud.
Hearing the wizard's words Xander commands, "Fall back to the second level! Get the women and children out! Get them out!"
In the distance the sound of horns rose into the air in a triumphant sound of arrival. Xander looked towards the sound as Gandalf's ears heard a familiar sound. To the north, the ranks of the Rohirrim began to take formation. Looking down upon the thousands of orcs, Théoden realized that this battle could not be won and he knew that his riders saw the same thing. Merry's eyes were wide with fear at the sight before them when Buffy says to him, "Courage Merry. Courage for our friends..."
Looking towards the hill, completely covered by the horses and riders of Rohan, Xander watched some of the orcs begin to reform rank. As more of the horns began to sound, only one thought came to Xander's mind at the clash that was about to occur. Looking to the orcs he began to say, "Dear Lord... Be with our guests, and prepare them for the butt whooping they are about to receive..." when Théoden began to rally his riders that were behind him.
The captain of the army of orcs below heard the horns on the air and turned to see the horses upon the hill and began to bark out orders, "Form ranks, you maggots! Form ranks! Pikes in front, archers behind!"
Summoning all the courage he had Théoden rode to his captains and gave them their positions.
"Éomer, take your éored down the left flank! Gamling, follow the Kings banner down the center! Grimbold, take your company right, after you pass the wall! Forth and fear no darkness!"
Riding before the Rohorrim, Théoden commands, "Arise! Arise Riders of Théoden!"
Galloping Snowmane before the ranks he calls out, "Spears shall be shaken! Shields splintered, A sword day! A red day! Ere the sun rises!"
Hiding their faces as Théoden rode past, Buffy, Anya and Willow looked away until he had passed by. As the riders readied their spears, Buffy said to Merry, "Whatever happens, stay with me. I'll look after you."
Riding past the lowered spears as his sword banged against them, he abruptly halted Snowmane and proclaimed, "Ride now! Ride now!"
As the Rohirrim look onto the field of Pelennor, Théoden commands, "Ride now for ruin and the world's ending! Death!"
The rest of the Rohirrim shouted together, "Death!"; Buffy, Willow and Anya began to feel the pressure they were under that the situation before them presented.
Snowmane started in a lofty trot and then began to pick up speed till everyone was in a flat out gallop downhill. Horns sounded once more as the thunderous sound of thousands of hooves echoed across the ground as Théoden shouts, "Forth Eorlingas!"
Gothmog commands the ranks that had formed up under his direction to fire. The arrows fired by the orcs brought down many horses and riders from the Rohirrim. Merry seated in front of Buffy shouts, "Death!" as does Théoden when Gothmog gives command to the orcs to fire at will. But even as they keep firing, the horses charge on. The orcs finally begin to withdraw as the mass of horse's break through the lines of Mordor. None from the dark realm could withstand such a force as that who bore upon them like water upon rock in an unrelentless tide.
Back inside the city, Pippin still searched for Gandalf and Xander. Finally locating them he exclaims, "Denethor has lost his mind! He's burning Faramir alive!"
Turning to Xander he says, "Stay here and command the armies! Keep them in rank!" and quickly pulled Pippin upon Shadowfax and raced towards the House of Stewards.
Denethor stood atop the funeral pyre as he poured oil over his head and then looked down to his son who was also oil slicked. "Set fire to our flesh," Denethor commanded as he stood with his arms extended out to his sides and his head thrown back to the heavens.
The soldiers slowly begin to move in towards the pyre with the torches when a great neigh is heard, just as the fire is about ready to touch the wood, Shadowfax kicks down the door in their way.
"Stop this madness!" Gandalf bellowed as they enter the room where Denethor and Faramir were. The guards ceased in movement, turning to look at the wizard when the Steward grabbed a torch from the hand of one of the nearby guards and set the pyre ablaze on his own.
Taking a spear and urging the white horse forwards, he knocked Denethor from the pyre and Pippin leapt off the horses back onto a portion of the pyre yet untouched by fire and after several tries, managed to roll Faramir off of it to the stone floor. Denethor attacks the hobbit that was beating out the flames that were alight on Faramir's clothing when the Steward hissed, "NO! You will not take my son from me!"
Gandalf approaches and knocks the enraged man into the pyre since the flames had reached their peak. Looking through the fire, Denethor looked to his son, whose eyes were now open when he realizes that his son really was indeed alive. "Faramir..." Denethor said in a softened tone as the flames completely surrounded his oil soaked body. Screaming in agony as the fire engulfed him, he leapt from the pyre and races to the end of the seventh level of Minas Tirith, leaping off the edge and falling to his death amidst the battle that raged below. Within the House of Stewards Gandalf says solemnly, "So passes Denethor, son of Ecthelion."
Upon the fields of Pelennor the orcs had begun to retreat towards Mordor when Éomer shouts, "Drive them to the river!"
In an instant the once chaotic battlefield became silent as a line of mûmakil began to charge into battle, headed straight for the Rohirrim. Théoden commands, "Reform the line! Reform the line!"
The riders fall into position and prepare to charge on the foul creatures of the south. The King calls out, "Sound the charge!" and Gamling begins to sound the horn to signal the attack. The Rohirrim charged forwards but were overpowered by the mûmakil's size and strength. The great beasts used their tusks with wooden spikes on them to mow down those coming at them, while archers upon their backs shot arrows at those on the ground. Éomer paused momentarily and threw a spear aimed directly at the drive of the mûmak charging towards him. As the spear connects with it's target, the rider falls to the left side, still grasping the reins used to guide the massive beast. With the mûmak's head turned to the left it began to veer in that direction and slams into another mûmak beside it and sent the two of them crashing to the ground.
Buffy and Merry are racing through the mûmakil, staring at the very possibility of death countless numbers of times. Suddenly Buffy yells, "Take the reins! Pull to the left! Left!"
Grabbing a second sword from an orc and Merry maneuvering the horse between the mûmak's legs, she slashes it on each leg with the two swords. As they ride out from under the beast it begins to falter and came crashing down, as the muscles in its injured legs can no longer support its massive weight. Éomer and other members of the Rohirrim are shooting arrows into one of the beasts and he yells, "Aim for the head!"
The creature before them rises up onto its back legs and those atop the creature fall to the ground when it begins to falter and Théoden commands, "Bring it down! Bring it down! Bring it down!"
Merry and Buffy are nearly crushed by the falling mûmak when their horse falls, sending them flying onto the ground. Willow found herself encircled by orcs, all with a look of an easy kill upon their hideous faces. Quickly removing the leather gloves from her hands she began to shoot fireball after fireball at those surrounding her. One by one they all began to fall to the ground and after the last one had fallen she took a look at the pile of scorched carcasses around her and asked, "Did anyone order roast orc?"
Anya had been taking cover behind the carcass of one of the fallen mûmakil when a small band of orcs went past her. Leaping out from where she was, she began to take them on. While hacking them to pieces she yelled, "This is for Buffy!" Managing to turn to see one coming at her back she went to work on it while yelling again, "This is for Willow screwing up the spell!" Focusing on the orc coming up on her right she concluded by shouting, "This is for the fact that I'm tired of fighting these smelly orcs!"
Willow was walking by after having taken care of her orc problem, when she saw the demon fighting with some orcs and heard the last part to her statement and called out. "Orcs: I think they're related to bunnies..." Anya hearing the witches words let out a shriek and fought even harder against them until they all had been decimated.
On the river Anduin, the fleet of black ships pulled into port as one of the orcs upon the bank says impatiently, "Late as usual, pirate scum!"
The rest of the orcs join their leader while waiting for the Corsairs to disembark when the head orc yells, "There's knife work here that needs doing! Come on, ya sea rats! Get off your ships!"
It was another few moments of silence before Aragorn sprang from the ship and looked at the orcs that stood before him.
"What do we have here boys?" the leader asks, a devilish smile upon his face when Linwelos, Legolas, Gimli, Galuwen and Angel leap off the boat as well and take up positions alongside Aragorn. The orcs draw their weapons just as Gimli says to Legolas, "There's plenty for both of us. May the best dwarf win!" With the dwarf's words, Galuwen and Legolas gave each other a look of understanding that together 'the dwarf was going down!'
Simultaneously the group of six charges forward as the expressions on the orcs turns to that of fear when the dead army streams from the boats behind them like and endless green tide.
Several orcs headed towards Buffy as she got up from the ground. Not wasting any time in defending herself, she blocked and parried the attacks while systematically taking the orcs out one at a time. Those who had come through the Southern Gate were intertwined in the battle and Angel raced towards the warrior he saw that was surrounded by orcs. Dispatching it quickly he race forwards, his swift footsteps catching the warrior's ears. Hearing the sudden rush from behind her, she quickly sliced through the orc before her and whirled around as her sword struck the one behind her. Her eyes went wide with shock when she saw Angel behind her and lowered her sword.
"Angel!" she exclaimed, happy to see him.
"Buffy? Is that you?" he asked when she removed the helmet from her face.
"The one and only," she replied, brushing her hair back from her face.
Regrettably they had to keep their reunion short, since they were in the midst of a battle, and after one last glance they went their separate ways to fight.
Anya had just obliterated the orcs she had been fighting when a piercing wail caught her ears. Covering her ears with her hands to try and block out the ear piercing cries when all of a sudden she was knocked to the ground and a pair of large talons wrapped around her as she was lifted into the air. Managing to see what had her, she saw the giant tattered wings of one of the Nazgûl above her. Another piercing scream deafened her ears as she looked down on the battle raging beneath her as she neared the White City. One of the catapults in the towers launched its quarry, striking the beast that carried her. The impact of the hit jarred her but the creature luckily didn't open its talons, dropping her to her almost certain death. The fellbeast tried to stay airborne as long as it could but when it reached the fifth level of the city, it finally released her before falling out of the sky.
Luckily the creature dropped her low to the ground which kept her from sustaining any serious injuries. Unarmed, she now faced some orcs who'd seen the winged beast go down. As her eyes saw the foul creatures heading towards her, fear built up within her. She was all alone, unarmed and facing a group of fighting orcs who would not hesitate in killing her just for the sheer pleasure of it.
Xander saw the giant creature go down and drop whatever it was carrying onto the ground, but much to his surprise it was a person and they were alive. Mounting his horse he raced towards the warrior in trouble as he drew his sword to demolish those he raced towards. Anya heard the clatter of horse's hooves and a shrill neigh as she turned to see Xander racing to her rescue.
Xander swung his sword back and forth, switching sides trying to slay as many orcs as he could. Anya watched as he was nothing but courage and bravery as he fought these beasts before her; that he truly was her champion. Xander had almost defeated the orcs when his horse fell suddenly, struck down by a stray arrow. Quickly jumping to his feet and sword tightly gripped, he began to battle the last two orcs. Managing to kill the first quickly, he began to go for the second when its sword sliced across his right arm. Screaming in pain he kept on fighting with his sword in his left hand. As much as Xander was brave, his strength was just no match for the large orc and quickly he was overpowered, falling onto his back. As the orc lifted his sword to bring it down swiftly through Xander's chest, he quickly grabbed one of the fallen orcs daggers and shoved it through the orcs heart. With a moan of pain the orc fell over, just as Xander moved out of the way.
Sitting up, Xander held his arm as the blood completely covered it as well as his hand. He heard the soft whisper of Anya's voice as she said shakily, "Xander..." her face was that of complete terror as she looked at him. Knowing he had to be strong for her, he quickly got to his feet and went to her.
"Shh, it's okay." He said as he placed a hand on Anya's face; "I'm okay. See..." wiping a tear from her cheek as their foreheads touched as the battle continued on around them.
After dispatching the band of orcs the group raced through the open Southern Gate into the raging battle. Everyone spread out and Linwelos wasted no time in bringing out her twin elven blades. Taking care of the orcs that came at her in an endless wave, she fought with all the skill she had. After slitting the throat of the orc in front of her with a mighty slash of her blade, she quickly recoiled her blades and held them as one and thrust them backwards on her right side into the stomach of the orc behind her.
Galuwen fired shot after shot with her bow, bringing orcs down all around her. She began to take steps back when some started to move in her direction. As she moved, she eventually bumped into someone and turned her to see that it was Linwelos at her back. As the blonde turned her head to see her friend behind her and called out "For death!" Countering her words, Galuwen replied, "For glory!" After a brief pause while Linwelos took care of an orc that came at her she said to Galuwen, "How about both..." Before the two headed back out into battle, Galuwen said to her, "My bow shall sing with your sword." As they fought side by side briefly, together their sword and bow downing the enemy around them.
Aragorn fought with all the power he had as he sliced through the orcs left and right. Carnage lay everywhere around them as he saw Angel fighting nearby as well as Legolas and Gimli continuing their contest from Helm's Deep. Not seeing the other two elves he turned to see the two diving headlong into the thick of things as orcs fell all around them.
As the Rohirrim still bravely fought against the Haradrim, Théoden calls out, "Rally to me! To me!"
The riders around him became nervous and as he turned around, he was finally aware of the presence of the witch-king. Atop his mighty fellbeast they swooped down from the sky and the vile creature grabbed hold of Snowmane's neck and knocked the horse on top of its rider. Buffy had finished with some orcs when she looked on in horror to see the King go down and the giant winged creature and its rider standing over Théoden who was pinned beneath Snowmane's weight.
"Feast on his flesh..." the witch-king commanded to his mount, when Buffy stepped between the two and said menacingly, "I will kill you if you touch him!"
"Do not come between a Nazgûl and his prey." The voice hissed.
The fellbeast tried to strike out, around the warrior before him but left its neck exposed and wasting no time, Buffy hewed it from it body in just two strokes. As the creature died, the rest of its body flailed aimlessly about when the witch-king stood before her mace in hand. Buffy quickly ducked and sidestepped as the black figure tried to hit her repeatedly. Finally landing a blow to her shield and splintering it, she cried out while holding her arm that the shield had been resting on.
"You fool, no man can kill me! Die now!" the figure hisses to Buffy who has a vice-like grip upon her neck.
Merry finally manages to crawl out from under the mûmak that almost crushed him to see Buffy squaring off with the witch-king. Coming up behind the figure cloaked in all black, he stabs him with his blade in the back of the leg. His blade crumbled into nothing as he sank to the ground holding his right arm in pain. The shrieking figure in black fell to the ground and landed upon its knees when Buffy right's herself and pulls her helmet off freeing her blonde hair and saying viciously, "I am no man! I am a slayer!"
With a mighty and victorious cry she thrust her sword into the witch-kings face. Agony consumes her as she watches the figure crumple to the earth into nothing, after it emitted one final shrill wail.
Legolas began counting once more, taking down several with his bow, "15, 16...".
"17!" Gimli proudly announced as he swung his axe into the stomach of an orc.
Both Legolas and Gimli fought side by side, each leaving dead orcs in their path. Stopping to look back at the elf, Gimli yelled, "20!"
"I am on 27..." Legolas exclaimed.
"What!" Gimli said, stopping to look at him in shock.
Not looking at where he was going, Gimli bumped into Galuwen, her bow was already extended as she eyed her target. Releasing her arrow she replied, "30!"
After removing his axe from the orc before him he exclaimed, "30?! The battle has just begun missy! We dwarves don't give in so easily, especially in combat," adding a laugh to the end as he prepared to continue with the countdown.
Looking up from battle, Galuwen say an Oliphaunt charging in their direction.
"Legolas!" she yelled as he quickly rushed to her side.
Galuwen and Legolas now stood in the massive mûmak's path. With a look to each other they knew what they had to do.
"Why do we always end up in these situations?" Legolas asked as he looked up at the challenge before him.
"Because we just so happen to be the most insane beings in Middle Earth." Galuwen replied.
They both leapt onto the charging creature's trunk and leapt to opposite sides of the beast, each side equally full of arrows. Legolas climbed up the creatures left foreleg and Galuwen up the right. The enormous amounts of arrows in the beasts hide making the job a lot easier. After they both reached the top of the giant creature they began shooting the warriors upon the beast's massive back, still counting off as the Southrons fell.
"31,32,33!" Galuwen called while firing constant streams of arrows.
"28,29,30!" Legolas countered, grabbing a rope upon the giant platform positioned on the mûmak's back. Seeing what he was doing, Galuwen moved to the head of the creature and off the platform as Legolas cut the bonds holding it around the midsection of the beast. As the platform began to tilt to the opposite side, he let the momentum pull him back upon the beasts back as the wood crashed to the ground.
Taking his place alongside Galuwen they each notched two arrows to their bows and fired them into the head of the mûmak. With a mighty groan it began to fall and they both slid down its trunk effortlessly to the ground as Gimli looked on and exclaimed, "That only counts as 1!"
Looking to her right, Galuwen asked, "What's his problem?"
As the dust settled around them Legolas replied, "Elf-envy."
Aragorn looked at the battlefield around him, noticing that most of the enemy from Mordor had been slaughtered. The few that remained were being taken care of while the dead from the Haunted Mountain brought down the remaining mûmakil and moved through the levels of Minas Tirith, obliterating any orcs within its walls. When the battle was done, the King of the Dead stood before Aragorn and the others and said, "Release us."
Gimli looked to the ranger at his side and said, "Bad idea. Very handy in a tight spot, these lads, despite the fact that they are dead."
"You gave us your word..." the apparition said.
"I hold your oath fulfilled. Go, be at peace." Aragorn said as the winds whipped around them and those who were from the Haunted Mountain disappeared.
Pippin slowly made his way across the battlefield when he saw Merry's body pinned beneath an orc.
"Merry! Merry, it's me! It's Pippin!" he cried.
"I knew you'd find me," the hobbit said weakly.
"Yes," Pippin croaked out in a small voice.
"Are you going to leave me?" the battered hobbit asked in a small voice.
"No Merry. I'm going to look after you." Pippin replied, covering his friend with a nearby cloak.
Pippin rounded a corner and saw the small processional headed for the tombs of the Kings. Denethor walked at the head of the processional, a lit torch in his hands and behind him was a group of men carrying Faramir upon a funeral litter. The hobbit raced forward towards the steward as he pushed open the doors to the House of the Stewards.
"No tomb for Denethor and Faramir. No long slow sleep of death embalmed. We shall burn like the heathen kings of old..." The steward said, turning to one of the guards and commanding; "Bring wood and oil!"
Down below as the orcs are trying to break open the gates to the City of Kings, Xander and Gandalf command the men with them.
"Steady, steady!" they both call, when the gates finally begin to give way after the repeated battering it had been taking.
As the nose and mouth of the battering ram that was in the shape of flaming wolf like creature pierced through the gates, Gandalf proclaimed, "You are soldiers of Gondor! No matter what comes through that gate, you will stand your ground!"
When the gate finally bursts open and several trolls in full battle armor come in, Xander commands the archers behind him; "Volley! Fire!"
While the fighting ensues within the courtyard of the lowest level of Minas Tirith, Denethor is preparing his son's pyre. As the guards place stacks of wood around it though, Faramir begins to come out of unconsciousness. Denethor touches his son's face one last time as he says, "The house of his spirit crumbles... He is burning... Already burning..."
Pippin runs to the Ithilien prince's side and tried to remove the wood around him saying hysterically, "He's not dead! He's not dead!"
Striding over to the small hobbit, Denethor drags him away from the pyre and throws him upon the ground, ignoring the cries of the hobbit proclaiming that his son was alive and said coldly, "Peregrin son of Paladin. I release you from my service. Go now and die in what way seems best for you..."
As he turned, he reentered the House of Stewards and closed the doors behind him, leaving Pippin upon the ground. Wasting no time the hobbit rose and goes in a desperate search of Gandalf or Xander. He ran desperately through the city as madness ensued around him, but he was determined to save Faramir but in order to do that, he needed help.
"Gandalf! Xander! Where are they!" Where is Gandalf and Xander!" Pippin cried as he dodged falling buildings in search of those he was looking for.
Down at the courtyard before the ruined gates, Xander and Gandalf order the troops to fall back, "Retreat! The city is breached!" Gandalf called aloud.
Hearing the wizard's words Xander commands, "Fall back to the second level! Get the women and children out! Get them out!"
In the distance the sound of horns rose into the air in a triumphant sound of arrival. Xander looked towards the sound as Gandalf's ears heard a familiar sound. To the north, the ranks of the Rohirrim began to take formation. Looking down upon the thousands of orcs, Théoden realized that this battle could not be won and he knew that his riders saw the same thing. Merry's eyes were wide with fear at the sight before them when Buffy says to him, "Courage Merry. Courage for our friends..."
Looking towards the hill, completely covered by the horses and riders of Rohan, Xander watched some of the orcs begin to reform rank. As more of the horns began to sound, only one thought came to Xander's mind at the clash that was about to occur. Looking to the orcs he began to say, "Dear Lord... Be with our guests, and prepare them for the butt whooping they are about to receive..." when Théoden began to rally his riders that were behind him.
The captain of the army of orcs below heard the horns on the air and turned to see the horses upon the hill and began to bark out orders, "Form ranks, you maggots! Form ranks! Pikes in front, archers behind!"
Summoning all the courage he had Théoden rode to his captains and gave them their positions.
"Éomer, take your éored down the left flank! Gamling, follow the Kings banner down the center! Grimbold, take your company right, after you pass the wall! Forth and fear no darkness!"
Riding before the Rohorrim, Théoden commands, "Arise! Arise Riders of Théoden!"
Galloping Snowmane before the ranks he calls out, "Spears shall be shaken! Shields splintered, A sword day! A red day! Ere the sun rises!"
Hiding their faces as Théoden rode past, Buffy, Anya and Willow looked away until he had passed by. As the riders readied their spears, Buffy said to Merry, "Whatever happens, stay with me. I'll look after you."
Riding past the lowered spears as his sword banged against them, he abruptly halted Snowmane and proclaimed, "Ride now! Ride now!"
As the Rohirrim look onto the field of Pelennor, Théoden commands, "Ride now for ruin and the world's ending! Death!"
The rest of the Rohirrim shouted together, "Death!"; Buffy, Willow and Anya began to feel the pressure they were under that the situation before them presented.
Snowmane started in a lofty trot and then began to pick up speed till everyone was in a flat out gallop downhill. Horns sounded once more as the thunderous sound of thousands of hooves echoed across the ground as Théoden shouts, "Forth Eorlingas!"
Gothmog commands the ranks that had formed up under his direction to fire. The arrows fired by the orcs brought down many horses and riders from the Rohirrim. Merry seated in front of Buffy shouts, "Death!" as does Théoden when Gothmog gives command to the orcs to fire at will. But even as they keep firing, the horses charge on. The orcs finally begin to withdraw as the mass of horse's break through the lines of Mordor. None from the dark realm could withstand such a force as that who bore upon them like water upon rock in an unrelentless tide.
Back inside the city, Pippin still searched for Gandalf and Xander. Finally locating them he exclaims, "Denethor has lost his mind! He's burning Faramir alive!"
Turning to Xander he says, "Stay here and command the armies! Keep them in rank!" and quickly pulled Pippin upon Shadowfax and raced towards the House of Stewards.
Denethor stood atop the funeral pyre as he poured oil over his head and then looked down to his son who was also oil slicked. "Set fire to our flesh," Denethor commanded as he stood with his arms extended out to his sides and his head thrown back to the heavens.
The soldiers slowly begin to move in towards the pyre with the torches when a great neigh is heard, just as the fire is about ready to touch the wood, Shadowfax kicks down the door in their way.
"Stop this madness!" Gandalf bellowed as they enter the room where Denethor and Faramir were. The guards ceased in movement, turning to look at the wizard when the Steward grabbed a torch from the hand of one of the nearby guards and set the pyre ablaze on his own.
Taking a spear and urging the white horse forwards, he knocked Denethor from the pyre and Pippin leapt off the horses back onto a portion of the pyre yet untouched by fire and after several tries, managed to roll Faramir off of it to the stone floor. Denethor attacks the hobbit that was beating out the flames that were alight on Faramir's clothing when the Steward hissed, "NO! You will not take my son from me!"
Gandalf approaches and knocks the enraged man into the pyre since the flames had reached their peak. Looking through the fire, Denethor looked to his son, whose eyes were now open when he realizes that his son really was indeed alive. "Faramir..." Denethor said in a softened tone as the flames completely surrounded his oil soaked body. Screaming in agony as the fire engulfed him, he leapt from the pyre and races to the end of the seventh level of Minas Tirith, leaping off the edge and falling to his death amidst the battle that raged below. Within the House of Stewards Gandalf says solemnly, "So passes Denethor, son of Ecthelion."
Upon the fields of Pelennor the orcs had begun to retreat towards Mordor when Éomer shouts, "Drive them to the river!"
In an instant the once chaotic battlefield became silent as a line of mûmakil began to charge into battle, headed straight for the Rohirrim. Théoden commands, "Reform the line! Reform the line!"
The riders fall into position and prepare to charge on the foul creatures of the south. The King calls out, "Sound the charge!" and Gamling begins to sound the horn to signal the attack. The Rohirrim charged forwards but were overpowered by the mûmakil's size and strength. The great beasts used their tusks with wooden spikes on them to mow down those coming at them, while archers upon their backs shot arrows at those on the ground. Éomer paused momentarily and threw a spear aimed directly at the drive of the mûmak charging towards him. As the spear connects with it's target, the rider falls to the left side, still grasping the reins used to guide the massive beast. With the mûmak's head turned to the left it began to veer in that direction and slams into another mûmak beside it and sent the two of them crashing to the ground.
Buffy and Merry are racing through the mûmakil, staring at the very possibility of death countless numbers of times. Suddenly Buffy yells, "Take the reins! Pull to the left! Left!"
Grabbing a second sword from an orc and Merry maneuvering the horse between the mûmak's legs, she slashes it on each leg with the two swords. As they ride out from under the beast it begins to falter and came crashing down, as the muscles in its injured legs can no longer support its massive weight. Éomer and other members of the Rohirrim are shooting arrows into one of the beasts and he yells, "Aim for the head!"
The creature before them rises up onto its back legs and those atop the creature fall to the ground when it begins to falter and Théoden commands, "Bring it down! Bring it down! Bring it down!"
Merry and Buffy are nearly crushed by the falling mûmak when their horse falls, sending them flying onto the ground. Willow found herself encircled by orcs, all with a look of an easy kill upon their hideous faces. Quickly removing the leather gloves from her hands she began to shoot fireball after fireball at those surrounding her. One by one they all began to fall to the ground and after the last one had fallen she took a look at the pile of scorched carcasses around her and asked, "Did anyone order roast orc?"
Anya had been taking cover behind the carcass of one of the fallen mûmakil when a small band of orcs went past her. Leaping out from where she was, she began to take them on. While hacking them to pieces she yelled, "This is for Buffy!" Managing to turn to see one coming at her back she went to work on it while yelling again, "This is for Willow screwing up the spell!" Focusing on the orc coming up on her right she concluded by shouting, "This is for the fact that I'm tired of fighting these smelly orcs!"
Willow was walking by after having taken care of her orc problem, when she saw the demon fighting with some orcs and heard the last part to her statement and called out. "Orcs: I think they're related to bunnies..." Anya hearing the witches words let out a shriek and fought even harder against them until they all had been decimated.
On the river Anduin, the fleet of black ships pulled into port as one of the orcs upon the bank says impatiently, "Late as usual, pirate scum!"
The rest of the orcs join their leader while waiting for the Corsairs to disembark when the head orc yells, "There's knife work here that needs doing! Come on, ya sea rats! Get off your ships!"
It was another few moments of silence before Aragorn sprang from the ship and looked at the orcs that stood before him.
"What do we have here boys?" the leader asks, a devilish smile upon his face when Linwelos, Legolas, Gimli, Galuwen and Angel leap off the boat as well and take up positions alongside Aragorn. The orcs draw their weapons just as Gimli says to Legolas, "There's plenty for both of us. May the best dwarf win!" With the dwarf's words, Galuwen and Legolas gave each other a look of understanding that together 'the dwarf was going down!'
Simultaneously the group of six charges forward as the expressions on the orcs turns to that of fear when the dead army streams from the boats behind them like and endless green tide.
Several orcs headed towards Buffy as she got up from the ground. Not wasting any time in defending herself, she blocked and parried the attacks while systematically taking the orcs out one at a time. Those who had come through the Southern Gate were intertwined in the battle and Angel raced towards the warrior he saw that was surrounded by orcs. Dispatching it quickly he race forwards, his swift footsteps catching the warrior's ears. Hearing the sudden rush from behind her, she quickly sliced through the orc before her and whirled around as her sword struck the one behind her. Her eyes went wide with shock when she saw Angel behind her and lowered her sword.
"Angel!" she exclaimed, happy to see him.
"Buffy? Is that you?" he asked when she removed the helmet from her face.
"The one and only," she replied, brushing her hair back from her face.
Regrettably they had to keep their reunion short, since they were in the midst of a battle, and after one last glance they went their separate ways to fight.
Anya had just obliterated the orcs she had been fighting when a piercing wail caught her ears. Covering her ears with her hands to try and block out the ear piercing cries when all of a sudden she was knocked to the ground and a pair of large talons wrapped around her as she was lifted into the air. Managing to see what had her, she saw the giant tattered wings of one of the Nazgûl above her. Another piercing scream deafened her ears as she looked down on the battle raging beneath her as she neared the White City. One of the catapults in the towers launched its quarry, striking the beast that carried her. The impact of the hit jarred her but the creature luckily didn't open its talons, dropping her to her almost certain death. The fellbeast tried to stay airborne as long as it could but when it reached the fifth level of the city, it finally released her before falling out of the sky.
Luckily the creature dropped her low to the ground which kept her from sustaining any serious injuries. Unarmed, she now faced some orcs who'd seen the winged beast go down. As her eyes saw the foul creatures heading towards her, fear built up within her. She was all alone, unarmed and facing a group of fighting orcs who would not hesitate in killing her just for the sheer pleasure of it.
Xander saw the giant creature go down and drop whatever it was carrying onto the ground, but much to his surprise it was a person and they were alive. Mounting his horse he raced towards the warrior in trouble as he drew his sword to demolish those he raced towards. Anya heard the clatter of horse's hooves and a shrill neigh as she turned to see Xander racing to her rescue.
Xander swung his sword back and forth, switching sides trying to slay as many orcs as he could. Anya watched as he was nothing but courage and bravery as he fought these beasts before her; that he truly was her champion. Xander had almost defeated the orcs when his horse fell suddenly, struck down by a stray arrow. Quickly jumping to his feet and sword tightly gripped, he began to battle the last two orcs. Managing to kill the first quickly, he began to go for the second when its sword sliced across his right arm. Screaming in pain he kept on fighting with his sword in his left hand. As much as Xander was brave, his strength was just no match for the large orc and quickly he was overpowered, falling onto his back. As the orc lifted his sword to bring it down swiftly through Xander's chest, he quickly grabbed one of the fallen orcs daggers and shoved it through the orcs heart. With a moan of pain the orc fell over, just as Xander moved out of the way.
Sitting up, Xander held his arm as the blood completely covered it as well as his hand. He heard the soft whisper of Anya's voice as she said shakily, "Xander..." her face was that of complete terror as she looked at him. Knowing he had to be strong for her, he quickly got to his feet and went to her.
"Shh, it's okay." He said as he placed a hand on Anya's face; "I'm okay. See..." wiping a tear from her cheek as their foreheads touched as the battle continued on around them.
After dispatching the band of orcs the group raced through the open Southern Gate into the raging battle. Everyone spread out and Linwelos wasted no time in bringing out her twin elven blades. Taking care of the orcs that came at her in an endless wave, she fought with all the skill she had. After slitting the throat of the orc in front of her with a mighty slash of her blade, she quickly recoiled her blades and held them as one and thrust them backwards on her right side into the stomach of the orc behind her.
Galuwen fired shot after shot with her bow, bringing orcs down all around her. She began to take steps back when some started to move in her direction. As she moved, she eventually bumped into someone and turned her to see that it was Linwelos at her back. As the blonde turned her head to see her friend behind her and called out "For death!" Countering her words, Galuwen replied, "For glory!" After a brief pause while Linwelos took care of an orc that came at her she said to Galuwen, "How about both..." Before the two headed back out into battle, Galuwen said to her, "My bow shall sing with your sword." As they fought side by side briefly, together their sword and bow downing the enemy around them.
Aragorn fought with all the power he had as he sliced through the orcs left and right. Carnage lay everywhere around them as he saw Angel fighting nearby as well as Legolas and Gimli continuing their contest from Helm's Deep. Not seeing the other two elves he turned to see the two diving headlong into the thick of things as orcs fell all around them.
As the Rohirrim still bravely fought against the Haradrim, Théoden calls out, "Rally to me! To me!"
The riders around him became nervous and as he turned around, he was finally aware of the presence of the witch-king. Atop his mighty fellbeast they swooped down from the sky and the vile creature grabbed hold of Snowmane's neck and knocked the horse on top of its rider. Buffy had finished with some orcs when she looked on in horror to see the King go down and the giant winged creature and its rider standing over Théoden who was pinned beneath Snowmane's weight.
"Feast on his flesh..." the witch-king commanded to his mount, when Buffy stepped between the two and said menacingly, "I will kill you if you touch him!"
"Do not come between a Nazgûl and his prey." The voice hissed.
The fellbeast tried to strike out, around the warrior before him but left its neck exposed and wasting no time, Buffy hewed it from it body in just two strokes. As the creature died, the rest of its body flailed aimlessly about when the witch-king stood before her mace in hand. Buffy quickly ducked and sidestepped as the black figure tried to hit her repeatedly. Finally landing a blow to her shield and splintering it, she cried out while holding her arm that the shield had been resting on.
"You fool, no man can kill me! Die now!" the figure hisses to Buffy who has a vice-like grip upon her neck.
Merry finally manages to crawl out from under the mûmak that almost crushed him to see Buffy squaring off with the witch-king. Coming up behind the figure cloaked in all black, he stabs him with his blade in the back of the leg. His blade crumbled into nothing as he sank to the ground holding his right arm in pain. The shrieking figure in black fell to the ground and landed upon its knees when Buffy right's herself and pulls her helmet off freeing her blonde hair and saying viciously, "I am no man! I am a slayer!"
With a mighty and victorious cry she thrust her sword into the witch-kings face. Agony consumes her as she watches the figure crumple to the earth into nothing, after it emitted one final shrill wail.
Legolas began counting once more, taking down several with his bow, "15, 16...".
"17!" Gimli proudly announced as he swung his axe into the stomach of an orc.
Both Legolas and Gimli fought side by side, each leaving dead orcs in their path. Stopping to look back at the elf, Gimli yelled, "20!"
"I am on 27..." Legolas exclaimed.
"What!" Gimli said, stopping to look at him in shock.
Not looking at where he was going, Gimli bumped into Galuwen, her bow was already extended as she eyed her target. Releasing her arrow she replied, "30!"
After removing his axe from the orc before him he exclaimed, "30?! The battle has just begun missy! We dwarves don't give in so easily, especially in combat," adding a laugh to the end as he prepared to continue with the countdown.
Looking up from battle, Galuwen say an Oliphaunt charging in their direction.
"Legolas!" she yelled as he quickly rushed to her side.
Galuwen and Legolas now stood in the massive mûmak's path. With a look to each other they knew what they had to do.
"Why do we always end up in these situations?" Legolas asked as he looked up at the challenge before him.
"Because we just so happen to be the most insane beings in Middle Earth." Galuwen replied.
They both leapt onto the charging creature's trunk and leapt to opposite sides of the beast, each side equally full of arrows. Legolas climbed up the creatures left foreleg and Galuwen up the right. The enormous amounts of arrows in the beasts hide making the job a lot easier. After they both reached the top of the giant creature they began shooting the warriors upon the beast's massive back, still counting off as the Southrons fell.
"31,32,33!" Galuwen called while firing constant streams of arrows.
"28,29,30!" Legolas countered, grabbing a rope upon the giant platform positioned on the mûmak's back. Seeing what he was doing, Galuwen moved to the head of the creature and off the platform as Legolas cut the bonds holding it around the midsection of the beast. As the platform began to tilt to the opposite side, he let the momentum pull him back upon the beasts back as the wood crashed to the ground.
Taking his place alongside Galuwen they each notched two arrows to their bows and fired them into the head of the mûmak. With a mighty groan it began to fall and they both slid down its trunk effortlessly to the ground as Gimli looked on and exclaimed, "That only counts as 1!"
Looking to her right, Galuwen asked, "What's his problem?"
As the dust settled around them Legolas replied, "Elf-envy."
Aragorn looked at the battlefield around him, noticing that most of the enemy from Mordor had been slaughtered. The few that remained were being taken care of while the dead from the Haunted Mountain brought down the remaining mûmakil and moved through the levels of Minas Tirith, obliterating any orcs within its walls. When the battle was done, the King of the Dead stood before Aragorn and the others and said, "Release us."
Gimli looked to the ranger at his side and said, "Bad idea. Very handy in a tight spot, these lads, despite the fact that they are dead."
"You gave us your word..." the apparition said.
"I hold your oath fulfilled. Go, be at peace." Aragorn said as the winds whipped around them and those who were from the Haunted Mountain disappeared.
Pippin slowly made his way across the battlefield when he saw Merry's body pinned beneath an orc.
"Merry! Merry, it's me! It's Pippin!" he cried.
"I knew you'd find me," the hobbit said weakly.
"Yes," Pippin croaked out in a small voice.
"Are you going to leave me?" the battered hobbit asked in a small voice.
"No Merry. I'm going to look after you." Pippin replied, covering his friend with a nearby cloak.