Karasu Kagami I have not put that much thought into everything at the moment. I was just concentrating on getting the story flowing. But now that you have raised these questions I shall think hard about it and hopefully have some explainations in the next few Chapters.

To everyone else please enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 3

Saruman stood with his hand hovering over the Palantir, his eyes distant as he conversed with Sauron. The orb swirled with black malice and the Eye appeared.

"The power of Isengard is at your command, Sauron, Lord of the Earth." Saruman spoke confidently in to the Orb.

Guttural and hissing noises were heard in response, "Build me an army worthy of Mordor!" Sauron responded, his voice menacing. Before retreating from the power of the Palantir.

Saruman walked out of the chamber that was housing the Palantir and entered his own room where he seated upon his throne when three Orcs walk in.

"What orders from Mordor my Lord?" he questioned, "What does the Eye command?"

Saruman looked through the curtain of his white hair at the Orc, his eyes sharp and commanding. "We have work to do!"

Thousands of Orcs filed out onto the grounds of Orthanc and start to up heave all of the trees. Upon the crown of Orthanc Gandalf began to awaken, blood dripping down the bridge of his nose and chin. Gandalf stumbled over to the edge of the crown and looked down to see the trees being brought down from their sturdy foundation.

Rain began to pelt down on the Orcs and trees, "The trees are strong My Lord. Their root go deep." He explained.

"Rip them all down." Saruman sneered.

On the crown of Orthanc Gandalf slid down one of the tiers in despair as the rain went straight through his clothes straight to the bones.
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Strider stops the group by a cluster of moss-covered rocks; a head of them was some moss covered ruins.

"This was the great watchtower of Amon Sûl. We will be resting here tonight." Strider explained.

"Oh thank the Gods!" Harry all but shouted and nearly collapsed in exhaustion and practically ran for Amon Sûl. The Hobbits running after him, Strider just shook his head in amusement at the Hobbits and Istari.

Once Harry and the Hobbits were comfortable at the base of Amon Sûl strider unraveled a blanket revealing four small swords (short swords), and handed them one by one to the Hobbits. Not having one for Harry since he had his magic.

"These are for you. Keep them close, I'm going to have a look around. Stay here." He ordered them and headed off down the slope to scout out the area and make sure that the Wraiths weren't around the near vicinity.

"Guys, I'm gunna get some sleep since we've stopped moving for a while. Please don't wonder off from where we are." Harry asked of them.

"Alright Harry, we won't be going anywhere." Merry, Pippin, Sam and Frodo promised.

With that promise, Harry waved his wand and whispered the cushioning charm and laid down pulling his cloak further around him and drifted off to sleep. Soon Frodo joined him in the land of dreams.

"Put it out you fools! Put it out." Frodo yelled pulling Harry from his first complete dreamless sleep. Harry looked at the Hobbits through sleepy eyes as Pippin moaned and groaned over having ash on his tomatoes as Frodo stamped out the fire.

The screech of the Nazgúl sounded out over the air, waking up Harry quickly and putting him on alert.

"Hurry. Get to the top of the watchtower." Harry yelled at them and hurried them up the old staircase so that they would have more room to move.

Harry stopped at the nearest point to where he could look over the side of the ruins. The Nazgûl were quickly approaching them from all fronts coming toward them quickly with their swords drawn.

Harry moved the Hobbits back from the entrance of the stairways and broken walls. Sam stood in front of Frodo with his sword.

"Back you devils!" Sam shouted at the Nazgûl brandishing his sword.

Sam swung his sword at one of the Nazgûl only to have his swing blocked swiftly and in turn was thrown in to a rock, knocking him out. Merry and Pippin quickly moved in front of Frodo to guard him. They too were quickly disposed of and Frodo and Harry were alone.

Harry took a deep breath and held out his wand, 'Please work.' Harry begged silently, "Expecto Patronum." Harry called out and a sliver mist came from the end of his wand and quickly took the shape of Prongs and he started to push the Wraith back from his master. A smile came over his face before he felt the sting of cutting metal going through his arm. Harry fell to the floor in pain from the cut from the sword and from the pain in his scar that the blade caused.

Frodo watched as all of his friends fell to the rage of the Nazgûl, he dropped his sword in fright and backed away from the Nazgûl as they advanced on him, only to trip over one off the many moss covered rocks.

Frodo's hand goes to his pocket where the Ring weighted heaving on his chest. His fingers creeped into his pocket and pulled the Ring from the folds of the pocket. Frodo crawls backward with the Ring in his and slowly put it on his finger, disappearing from sight. He suddenly comes to a stop as he runs in to a part of the broken down wall.

The Nazgûl that was at the point of the pack came closer to Frodo with his sword raised, the power of the Ring could not hide Frodo from the Witch Kings gaze. Frodo looked up to see that underneath the shawl of black robes is a worn skeletal face with a crown on the top of the head. The Witch King reaches out a hand, Frodo's hand came toward his as though magnetically drawn. Frodo wrenches his hand away from the Witch King only to be stabbed in response through his shoulder causing Frodo to cry out in pain and pull off the Ring.

Suddenly the Nazgûl back off from Frodo as Strider with sword and flame come charging at them from the shadows of the watchtower, just as they did.

"Frodo!" Sam called out and ran over to where Frodo was panting in pain. Sam ducked as Strider swung the sword and torch at the Nazgûl keeping them away from Frodo and more importantly the Ring.

Strider fought off the Nazgûl, striking at them with sword and flame. Harry pushed himself up with the help of Merry and Pippin and raised his hand, fingers wouldn't clench around his wand. "Incendio." He called out and a ball of flame exploded from the palm of his hand and hit the Nazgûl that Strider didn't hit the first time around, throwing him off the edge of the watchtower. Strider concentrated on driving back the leader of the Nazgûl from Frodo since he was the one leading the attack.

Once the leader was pushed back the other Nazgûl, flame and all went after him. Leaving Weather Top to the two humans and four Hobbits.

"Strider!" Sam called out in panic. Strider quickly came over to where the Hobbits were huddled. Harry leaning on the pillar catching his breath.

Strider brought a hand to Frodo's shoulder briefly before his attention went to the broken blade that was beside his shoulder and picked it up, "He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade," he commented only to have the blade turn to ash in his hand and dropped the blade in disgust, "This is beyond my skill to heal. He needs elvish medicine." Strider explained as he picked Frodo up and they hurried off from the watchtower.

Strider, with Frodo over his shoulder and torch in hand, Sam, Merry, Pippin and Harry ran as best they could through the thick forest, Sam pulling Bill through behind him. Harry quickly brought up his cloak to wipe the sweat from his face, ignoring the pain that was burning though his veins.

"Hurry!" Strider called back to them.

"We're six days from Rivendell. He'll never make it!" Sam called back to him

"Gandalf…" Frodo moaned in pain.

"Hold on Frodo."

"GANDALF." Frodo called out in pain and fear.
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A sleeping Gandalf raised his hand as a large moth came toward him, suddenly his hand snapped out and fingers closed around the fluttering moth. The moth settled on his hand as the fingers relaxed and opened up. Gandalf brought the moth to his face and began to whisper to the moth. The moth twitched as it listened to the instructions before flying off into the night.

Below him the earth had crumbled and caverns appeared. Fires roared, trees hacked into kindling and metal melted and molded into weapons and armor. Around the feet of the Orcs the mud moved as though worms were coming to the surface. An Orc went over to the earth and pulled it away from the squirming body only to have a hand wrap around its throat. Saruman looked on proudly.

Saruman stopped the other Orcs from running over to save him. The Large form stood up, towering over Saruman and the Orcs. He snarled at the Orcs and Saruman.

Saruman smirked at the large being.
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Harry looked around where they had stopped, Statues of trolls surrounding them. Harry brought his arm up to where the moonlight was catching the stone of the trolls. The cut was dark and oozing black puss, or it could have been his blood. He didn't know, what he did know though was that it hurt like hell. Harry quickly hid his arm behind his sleeve so the others wouldn't know.

Frodo lay at the feet of one of the trolls, pale and sweating red rings around his eyes and he gasped in pain.

"Look Mr. Frodo. It's Mr. Bilbo's trolls." He said trying to get his friends attention. He brought a hand up to Frodo's forehead and winced at the feel, "He's goin' cold." Sam cried out to Strider.

"Is he going to die?" Pippin asked upset.

Strider turned to look at the Hobbits, the fire flickered over his face, "He's passing into the shadow world, and he will soon become a Wraith like them." He explained.

Frodo let out a sudden gasp scaring the Hobbits and Harry clenched at the wound on his arm as the Nazgûl could be heard in the distance. "They're close."

"Sam." Strider called Sam over to him, "Do you know the Athelas plant?"

"Athelas?" Sam questioned, lightly confused.

"Kingsfoil." Strider supplied Sam with the other known name of the plant.

"Kingsfoil." Sam mumbled in concentration, "Ay it's a weed." He said in response.

"It may help to slow the poison. Hurry!" Strider told him pushing him off into the forest; he himself went on the hunt of the Kingsfoil. Quickly spotting the Kingsfoil Strider threw the torch down to the floor and quickly pulled out his hunting knife and started to cut some of the leaves off. Only to stop when he felt the cold of a blade sit on his jugular.

"What's this? A Ranger caught off his guard?" A melodious voice teased.
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Harry moved his wand into his hand; sweat trickled down the side of head as he raised his hand up to shoot a warming charm at Frodo so that he wasn't feeling so cold, but only with enough power to give a slight warmth.

Suddenly an ethereal light enveloped the area and a melodious voice spoke to Frodo, "Frodo... Im Arwen. Telin le thaed. Lasto beth nin. Tolo dan na galad." *I am Arwen. I have come to help you. Hear my voice. Come back to the light*

"Who is she?" Merry asked in awe of the power coming from the woman.

Arwen quickly kneels beside Frodo, "Frodo!" she exclaimed as she touched a hand to his forehead.

"She's an Elf." Sam responded in awe.

Harry looked on in shock; he couldn't believe that such a creature existed. They were written about but mostly in fairy tales and movies. The cut on Harry's arm flared once more causing him to cringe in pain.

"He's fading!" the Arwen responded quite anxiously. Strider pulled the leaves off of the stem and quickly chewed on the Kingsfoil to moisten it before applying it to the wound in almost like a paste. Frodo let out a moan of pain. "He is not going to last. We must get him to my father. I have been looking for you for two days." She explained to Strider as he picked up Frodo and moved off over to where her horse had stayed.

"Where are you taking him?" Merry questioned, getting over his awe fast at seeing his friend being moved.

"There are five Wraiths behind you. Where the other four are I do not know." She explains as Strider lifts Frodo into the saddle.

"Dartho guin Perian. Rych le ad tolthathon." *Stay with the Hobbits. I will send horses again for you* Strider says and begins to push up in the stirrup of the saddle.

"Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint I'm." *I'm the faster rider. I'll take him* Arwen protested laying a hand on his shoulder to hold him.

"Andelu i ven." *The road is too dangerous* Aragorn protested.

"What are they saying?" Pippin questioned Sam and Merry quietly.

"Frodo fir. Ae athradon i hir, tur gwaith nin beriatha hon." *If I can get across the river, the power of my people will protect him.* Arwen explained. "I do not fear them."

"Be iest lin." *According to your wish.* Aragorn relented and backed away from the horse so that Arwen could mount behind Frodo.

Just as Arwen was about to kick the horse into moving Strider grasped her arm, "Arwen! Ride hard, don't look back!" he told her and stood back.

"Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim!" she whispered into the horses' ear and the horse takes off into the forest leaving two humans and three Hobbits behind.

"What are you doing?!" Sam yelled at Strider, "Those Wraiths are still out there!"

"Sam, Strider is doing what is best for Frodo, and at the moment that woman is what is best for him. She can get him to where we are going faster then we can walk. If we kept walking with Frodo with us then he would surely be dead." Harry told the Hobbit as gently as possible.

Sam nodded his head, "I understand." He mumbled.

"Come on, let's keep going, we can all rest better later. Once we are nearer to our destination." Harry said and grabbed the reins of Bill and started going on through the forest. Strider and the Hobbits moved after him.
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The beats of Asfaloth's hooves sounded throughout the forest as they broke through into the open field. Five of the Nazgûl appeared on their flank, forming a V formation behind Arwen. Their screeching caused Frodo to flinch with pain.

One of the Nazgûl gained on Arwen, reaching out an armored hand out to grasp at Frodo, who was panting and wheezing from the pain, both from his injury and the presence of the riders.

"Noro lim Asfaloth!" Arwen cried to the horse, moving Frodo and herself away from the reach of the Nazgûl.

Asfaloth's muscles bunched up under Arwen as he gained speed, out-pacing the Nazgûl steeds. Without breaking stride, Asfaloth jumped over a log, plunging into the river, before galloping across the freezing waters and stopping on the other side. Arwen turned him to face the Nazgûl.

"Give up the Halfling, she-elf," one of the Nazgûl demanded in a guttural voice.

Arwen drew her sword swiftly. "If you want him, come and claim him," she countered.

The Nazgûl raised their swords and start into the water toward Arwen.

The elf glanced around herself, quickly deciding on a path of action. She began to whisper in Elvish, "Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer, Rimmo nin Bruinen dan in Ulair! Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer, Rimmo nin Bruinen dan in Ulair!" *Waters of the Misty Mountains listen to the great word; flow waters of Loudwater against the Ringwraiths!*"

Slowly the rocks in the bed began to disappear, as the water started to rise, Arwen's chanting calling on a power beyond that of man, hobbit or Wraith.

Gradually, faintly at first, then louder, the rushing sound of water could be heard approaching, the water slowly building.

The peaks of the waves were shaped like horses, galloping in a stampede toward the Nazgûl. Others tried to go back to the shore, but were not fast enough, as the tremulous force too swept them up.

Arwen watched as the Nazgûl disappeared from sight within the rushing water. Her attention turned back to Frodo, as he begins to go slack in her hold, slipping off of Asfaloth. Arwen moved swiftly, lowering the injured hobbit to the ground.

"No, No!" Arwen cried as she lowered Frodo to the ground, "Frodo, don't give in! Not now!" she pleads.

Arwen pulled Frodo into her arms, tears trailing down her cheeks as she rocked back and forth, holding him tightly in her embrace.

"What grace is given me, let it pass to him… Let him be spared… Save him," Arwen's voice became distant to Frodo's ears as darkness crept over his vision and he left the realm of consciousness.
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Strider turned back to see if the Hobbits and Harry were still walking at a steady pace behind him. Noticing that Harry was lagging, Strider stopped and waited until Harry was even with him before he began walking again.

"Are you alright Harry?" Strider questioned.

Harry just nodded and swiped the sweat from his forehead, "Yeah I'm okay. I think it's just a small cold from the wet clothes and change in weather." He explained.

Strider pulled off his cloak and wrapped it around Harry, "It won't be too much longer now before we are with in the great sanctuary of Rivendell, home of the Elves and of Lord Elrond." He explained.

"How much longer is not much longer to you?" Harry questioned him, before Strider could respond to Harry's question Merry, Pippin and Sam let out cries of fright as a squadron of Elves walked out of the tree line.

Harry and Strider looked over to where the Elves came out of the trees. A smile came to the weather worn lips and he broke away from where he was talking to Harry and headed over to where the Elves had come to a stop.

"Mae govannen Glorfindel." He greeted the elf standing toward the point of the squad and grasped his forearm in greeting, the elf responded in kind.

"Mae govannen Estel." Glorfindel responded. "Lady Arwen arrived two days ago with the injured Hobbit. We have been looking for you since." He explained.

"That is good news, very good news indeed." Aragorn replied and turned to the Hobbits, "Frodo has reached Rivendell and is well in the care of Lord Elrond and his healing abilities. Glorfindel is here to lead us to Rivendell."

"That's great." The Hobbits crowed and hugged each other in joy that their friend would be all right.

"Did you hear that Harry?" Pippin yelled bowling into Harry enthusiastically and landing hard on the forest floor.

Harry let out a hard laugh, making Pippin bounce up and down on his chest with his laughing, "That is good to hear Pippin, very good. Now all you have to do is get up off of me and we can be on our way so that you can get to Frodo all that much faster." Harry responded to the Hobbit.

Strider and the elf walked over to where Harry was now standing with Pippin. Strider put his hand on the teens shoulder to gain his attention.

"Is there something that we should know about Harry?" Strider asked.

Harry looked at Strider, confusion in his green eyes, "Ah, no I don't think so. Why?"

"Glorfindel can sense a dark presence on your being Harry. What have you been hiding from us?" he questioned.

"The only thing that I have with any darkness in it is my scar that I received as a child, that is all." Harry responded off handedly and winced internally at the admission.

Glorfindel stepped forward and grabbed Harrys arm harshly and pulled the sleeve up and inspected the damage to the limb, there, plain as day was the sickening black mark of where the Nazgûl had stabbed him on Amon Sûl.

"He must be taken to Lord Elrond at once." Glorfindel told Strider and moved off over to where his horse was being held by one of the elves that was with him and took the reins and walked over to where Harry was standing and forced him on to the saddle with a hand planted firmly on his ass to assist him onto the horse. Glorfindel was up behind him swiftly.

"I will go on a head and have him treated by Lord Elrond. By the Valar knows how bad the wound is."

"We will be right behind you Glorfindel." Aragorn spoke up moving his hand up to clasp Glorfindel's before he watched the elf urge the steed to take off into the trees.

"What's wrong?" Merry questioned, "Why is he taking Harry, where is he taking Harry?"

"It's alright Merry, Glorfindel is only hastening Harry to Rivendell. It seems as though Harry was injured and did not tell us of this fact." He explained to the Hobbits.

"Well as long as that is all that it is and he's not taking Harry to some place else." Pippin muttered.

"Yeah, like to kill him." Merry agreed.

Aragorn laughed, "Glorfindel is an honourable elf, no harm will come to Harry while he is in Glorfindels' care."

One of the elf guards stepped forward, "Come lord Estel, it is time that we too were on our way. The wraiths are coming upon our location quickly."

Aragorn nodded and turned toward the Hobbits, "Come friends, it is time that we too made haste to Rivendell where you can rest and be fed." He explained and picked up the pack that was at his feet and headed into the throng of elves and headed off into the forest, the elves surrounding the hobbits to keep them safe from any harm.