Destiny Diverted

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The movies result from the vision of Peter Jackson. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews. And there is no way in Hell that I can write even a fraction as well as J.R.R. Tolkien, so no very high expectations of writing quality, please.

NOTE: As you may have noticed, I really love the parts in Minas Tirith. You won't be seeing much of Frodo and Sam in this story since they're off in Mordor, trying to deliver the Ring to its doom. I didn't want to plunge our benders into that mix. It would be too traumatic.

The events in Rohan and Gondor were always my favorite parts of the books and movies so we'll be sticking there. Sorry again for the fast pace. Much has to happen in every chapter and while I still have some free time.

Hope you like this one. Reviews are much loved.

CHAPTER SIX

Gandalf had seen, before anyone else, the retreat of the soldiers of Gondor from Osgiliath. The wizard had already known that Mordor's orcs had marched out from Minas Morgul and crossed the river. The meager defenses of the troops there would be no match for the masses of bloodthirsty orcs.

So Gandalf, Pippin, and Zuko rode out once more, to meet the men of Osgiliath as they rushed to the city. The wizard saw that the men were being pursued by the Nazgûl, whose vicious winged Shadows attacked the fleeing soldiers. The very sound of the black riders, that horrible, screeching noise, was enough to upset the horses and to strike great fear into the hearts of the soldiers.

Zuko had never seen creatures as terrible as the winged Shadows, hideous creatures which had not the majesty of dragons. But swallowing his fear and repulsion, the firebender did his best to attack them with blasts of fire. Some he was able to drive off, but they were able to resist his attacks.

Gandalf took charge by raising his staff, which emitted a shaft of brilliant white light that seemed to scare the Nazgûl off, at least temporarily. The wizard and the remaining soldiers rode back into the city.

Once inside, a soldier called out to Gandalf. It was Faramir, Denethor's younger son.

"Mithrandir," cried he, "they broke through our defenses. They've taken the bridge and the west bank. Battalions of orcs are crossing the river."

Gandalf frowned at this news, some of his fears realized. He then noticed, however, that the soldier was staring intently at Pippin, as if in slight recognition. The hobbit looked away in embarrassment.

After speaking a bit more with Faramir, Gandalf learned of Frodo's location and was relieved to know that the Ringbearer was making progress. But the path they had taken was a dangerous one and Gandalf demanded Faramir to give him all the details.

Later on, Gandalf introduced Zuko to the son of Denethor and there was instant respect between them. Faramir thanked Zuko for the help he had given during the retreat and Zuko humbly said it was nothing.

The fire prince could already see what a noble and brave leader the steward's younger son was. And yet, Zuko sensed, recalling Denethor's grief at the death of his older son, that Faramir was the least loved. Such familiar circumstances brought a pang to the firebender and he felt an immediate connection with Faramir.

The latter's cold reception by his father only confirmed all of Zuko's suspicions. Denethor was none too pleased with the way Osgiliath had fallen. He blamed this defeat on Faramir's ineptitude as a leader. Denethor was further angered by the news that Faramir let Frodo and the ring enter Mordor.

"I did what I judged to be right," Faramir had said.

But it was clear that Denethor thought little of this. Faramir was dismissed without any further discussion. In the meantime, all the men in Minas Tirith grew worried, as they watched Osgiliath being taken over by masses of Mordor's filth. The men turned to Gandalf for advice and he told them to take courage.

A fast friendship was formed with Zuko, Pippin, and Faramir. There was a gentle and kind manner about the captain of Osgiliath, so unlike his father, that drew the two strangers to him. Zuko could also tell that even if Faramir was of a gentler disposition, he was still a warrior to be reckoned with.

In spite of all the harsh words that had been said to him, he remained calm and strong, albeit somewhat ruffled by all these troubles. Though he smiled at them, they could see that his face was racked with fear and anguish. There was not much time for them to be able to talk about each other, but the three all felt bound by a strong spirit of camaraderie which would serve them well in the days to come.

Pippin had found out that he was wearing the livery Faramir had once worn as a boy. The soldier of Gondor was fascinated by the hobbit, even if he had already encountered Frodo and Sam. Pippin was of a livelier and more mischievous temper than the other two and also proved to be quite loquacious although not less valiant than any man of Gondor.

Faramir and Zuko also got along well, and Zuko could easily relate to being a son not favored by his father. Both understood what it was like growing up in the shadow of stronger siblings, although there was never any hostility between Boromir and Faramir unlike Zuko and Azula. The firebender could see that Faramir mourned his brother's death as well, although this tragedy only seemed to add to the captain's own suffering.

Faramir was naturally intrigued by the stranger from a distant land and of the great and terrible power he possessed. Zuko managed to acquaint him with a brief account of the significant events in his short life. They did not have the luxury of time they had in Rohan. But Faramir was glad of their company, and was moved by the fact that both Zuko and Pippin thought very highly of him, even when his father did not. Faramir was moved by the tale of how Zuko got his scar, and was appalled that any father was capable of such ill treatment.

Pippin was bound to Denethor now, as a guard of the Citadel, but Zuko was under no such obligation, since the steward had refused his offer of help. So the firebender expressed his great willingness to fight by Faramir's side when the time came. The latter was grateful for this friendship, knowing already how valuable Zuko could be as a comrade.

It wasn't long before Pippin was formally swearing his allegiance to Denethor, and Faramir was once again summoned by his father. It was an uncomfortable event, which Pippin endured with patience.

The steward expressed his desire that the defenses of Osgiliath be reclaimed. And he did not fail to point out that these had remained intact when Boromir had been in charge of them. Faramir did not miss this less-than-subtle stab at him, but said nothing. Pippin watched the exchange between father and son anxiously, and he felt for Faramir.

"What would you have me do?" Faramir asked sadly, although he already knew the answer.

"Osgiliath must be retaken," the father commanded.

"My lord, Osgiliath is overrun," Faramir pointed out.

"Much must be risked in war," Denethor answered darkly, "is there a captain here who still has the courage to do his lord's bidding?"

Pippin looked at Faramir in concern and the captain glanced at the hobbit briefly. Pippin could see the pain in Faramir's eyes but did not know how he could bring his friend any comfort.

"You wish now that our places had been exchanged," Faramir said softly, "that I had died and Boromir had lived."

"Yes," Denethor replied gravely, "I wish that."

Faramir's eyes were moist but his countenance was steady.

"Since you were robbed of Boromir," the younger son said, "I will do what I can in his stead."

The forlorn captain bowed and began to take leave of his lord before turning back, and he was once again a son speaking to his father.

"If I should return," Faramir asked, "think better of me, father."

"That would depend on the manner of your return," Denethor replied coldly.

Faramir stiffened at this but said nothing, leaving the ancient hall with a heavy heart.

Preparations then, were made for a futile attempt to reclaim Osgiliath from Sauron's host. The citizens of Minas Tirith watched in sorrow as the company of soldiers rode to the gate. Families bid their men tearful farewells, and the soldiers themselves left weighed down by fear and a certainty of death. But they were loyal still to the lord of the City, and they would not oppose him. They marched with their banners raised high, but their spirits low.

"Faramir! Faramir!" Gandalf cried out, "Your father's will has turned to madness. Do not throw away your life so rashly!"

"Where does my allegiance lie if not here?" the grieving captain replied softly, as he marched, recalling how he had pledged his life to defend the city, her beauty and her wisdom.

"Your father loves you, Faramir," Gandalf called out to him, "and he will remember it before the end."

Gandalf turned to see that another soldier was marching with Faramir's company. The wizard was worried but not surprised. He had seen this coming when he noticed how much Zuko respected Faramir.

The firebender had asked his permission to join the fight, but Gandalf knew that Zuko was determined to go whether or not he approved. So the wizard had merely wished him well and told him to take care.

Before Zuko took his place by Faramir, the firebender took his leave of the wizard. Zuko had been given a coat of mithril and a helmet of Gondor, and though the armor had seemed slightly uncomfortable, Zuko saw no harm in adding some protection.

"Don't worry," Zuko assured Gandalf, "whatever happens, I'll bring him back alive."

"I trust that you will not abandon him," Gandalf replied, "and for that a heavy weight has been lifted from my heart. But I must speak the same words of warning to you. This is not a battle that is likely to be won."

"You don't have to remind me, I have no intention of throwing my life away," Zuko answered, raising his wrist around which was a Water Tribe necklace, "I have a promise to keep."

All the men Theoden had summoned gathered at Dunharrow when the King of Rohan had arrived. Aragorn surveyed the troops that had arrived and saw with a sinking feeling that there were too few. Less than half of what they had hoped for.

The heir of Elendil knew that even if all these men rode to Minas Tirith, they would not be enough to face the forces of Mordor. He and Theoden discussed this once they had settled at the encampment and they wondered what course of action best to take.

Katara had ridden with Lady Eowyn and Merry, and she had enjoyed the journey with them, if anything was still to be enjoyed at such a time. She was eager to join Zuko at Minas Tirith, wherever that was, and the waterbender could not imagine how much further the stone city would be.

With all the traveling they had been doing from Helm's Deep to Edoras to Dunharrow, and soon, to Gondor, the waterbender was beginning to see just how vast and rich a world Middle-Earth was. They had journeyed swiftly so there had been little time to admire the surroundings or learn more about the history of the places they were passing.

Feeling all the exhaustion and hassle of traveling on horseback, Katara really missed the comfort of traveling on the soft, comfortable back of a sky-bison. She wondered how her friends were doing back in their world, and hoped that they would not be worrying too much about her.

She suddenly remembered that there were so many people back home who would miss her – Aang, Toph, Sokka, and even Momo and Appa. Not to mention all the friends they had made along their journey, as well as the rest of her family. She missed them as well.

But she also realized that there were not a lot of people who felt the same for Zuko. As far as she knew, only Iroh was concerned about his welfare, for the rest of his family would have readily seen him dead. It was a sorry state of affairs that she intended to rectify when they returned, whenever that would be.

War was at hand, and there was no time to waste. Katara found it strange that the state of war in this world was still so much different from that in hers. Somehow, there was a greater urgency in Middle-earth, and the enemy they were facing here was darker and more sinister than anything the Fire Lord could ever be. A shadow hung about the land so powerful that everyone was affected by it.

Hope hung by a thread in such a forlorn world while back home, they still had the Avatar, and so many people were willing to stand up against the Fire Nation. Katara wondered how the darkness had spread so menacingly across a hauntingly beautiful land, which had a rich history and hardy folk dwelling in it. Naught but death seemed to hover above them, even in the daylight, and Katara wished there was something more she could do to lift everyone's spirits.

While at camp, the waterbender spent most of her time with Eowyn and Merry. Katara watched as the shieldmaiden of Rohan fitted the hobbit with the livery of an esquire of Rohan. Merry seemed as enthusiastic as ever to join the fight and so hurried to the smithy to have his blade sharpened.

Katara heard how Eowyn had been discouraged by her brother to join the battle.

"War is the province of men," Eomer had told her, although not unkindly.

Katara comforted her friend and told her not to be bothered by what the men thought.

"They need all the help they can get," the waterbender said, "although they're too proud to admit it."

She then told Eowyn the story of how she had convinced Master Pakku to take her as a waterbending student, and how she had surpassed all of his expectations.

"You come from a land with strangely conflicting customs," Eowyn remarked at this, "but you seem to have triumphed over every adversity."

"I've been really lucky with the friends I made," Katara said, "and I shall always be grateful for their support in times of trouble."

The two women continued to talk for some time, as the men-folk sharpened their swords and prepared for the long ride to Gondor at dawn. Later on, Katara went over to speak with Legolas and Gimli who were both waiting for Aragorn to emerge from a very important meeting.

"Lord Elrond has arrived," Legolas explained, "and he shall tell Aragorn which path he needs to take next."

"And we're going to make sure he doesn't try to go off on his own," Gimli said with a knowing smile.

Legolas further explained the situation to Katara, giving more details on Aragorn's heritage and stating the significance of the sword that Elrond was giving to the future king. Katara was glad that they had the patience to explain things to her since the history and background of everyone in Middle-earth seemed so profoundly complicated. She was relieved that Aang's destiny was not quite so intricate, but this was only because she knew little of the past Avatars and their own confusing histories.

A little later, Aragorn had readied his horse and was making to leave. He could not refuse the company of Legolas and Gimli and he remembered Gandalf's words to him. Politely, he invited Katara to join them although there was no real need for that. As much as she was fond of Merry and Eowyn, the waterbender trusted Gandalf's wisdom and was excited to see what would happen next. She had no intention of letting Zuko have all the adventure.

But by the grave looks on her companions' faces, Katara knew that their task would not be a lighthearted one. Gimli rode with Legolas while Katara rode with Aragorn. They prepared to venture into the dark, eerie mountains which had a chilling aura that had made the other horses restless and the men more so.

The soldiers of Rohan wondered why Aragorn was leaving on the eve of battle but Theoden shushed them and said that the ranger leaves because he must. They were not to lose hope just because one leader was taking another road to war.

As the four travelers passed through the haunted mountains, Katara leaned closer to Aragorn, unable to conceal her fear. The silence that hung about the labyrinthine rock formations was empty and unnerving and the whole place seemed to stink of death and decay. All of them shivered as they made their way through, looking around them warily and carefully listening for the faintest sounds.

Katara didn't know how he did it but Legolas managed to whisper the history of those cursed mountains and the tormented souls that dwelled within. A dishonored army of traitors, he had said, who could never rest in peace while the oaths they had taken remained unfulfilled.

While Katara understood the need for reinforcements at such a crucial time, she wondered how Aragorn would convince an army of the dead to fight for him. She only hoped that whatever he was planning to do, it would work.

Soon, as they reached an entrance to the mountains, the horses grew extremely frightened and ran away. Katara could understand since the entrance sent a shiver down her spine and certain death seemed to float beyond it.

"The way is shut," Legolas read the inscription above, "it was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it. The way is shut."

A ghoulish howl came from within the depths of the cave, causing them all to shudder.

"I do not fear death," Aragorn declared bravely before going in.

Reluctantly but resolutely, the other three followed, keeping close to one another in the darkness. Katara kept her hand at her water gourd, ready to fight although she did not know what.

The ground was lined with skulls and skeletons, of both men and horses. Spears and shattered shields littered the caves as well, material remnants of the forgotten army. But there were structures that remained within, and Katara saw that it had once been a city, and now it was nothing but a mass grave.

"The dead are following," Legolas whispered ominously, "they have been summoned."

At once, ghostlike smoke began to surround them and it took all of Katara's self-restraint not to scream. If this was what it was like in the Spirit World, she had no intention of seeing it. She felt unbearably cold and frightened and took comfort in the presence of her other companions.

They walked on, until they reached the base of what looked like an old castle. The spirits were all around them now and they stayed together.

"Who dares enter my domain?" an eerie voice called out to them and the form of an old, dead king appeared before Aragorn.

"One who would have your allegiance," Aragorn replied bravely.

"The dead do not suffer the living to pass," the ghost king warned.

"You will suffer me," Aragorn answered, unfazed.

But the king merely looked amused at this and let out a loud, echoing cackle.

Ghostly forms were materializing around them and Katara trembled as she looked. She really hoped that they would be cooperative.

"The way is shut," the king repeated the words on the door, "it was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it. The way is shut. Now, you must die."

The ghosts were now advancing towards them and Legolas, Gimli, and Katara readied their weapons, although they doubted these would be effective given the circumstances. Katara really wished that Aragorn would command them already.

"I summon you to fulfill your oath," the ranger said.

"None but the king of Gondor may command us," the dead king replied.

At this, Aragorn unsheathed his great sword and held it before the ghosts, proving his identity. The blade that was broken had been remade.

"Fight for us, and regain your honor," Aragorn told them. And somehow, even in such dire circumstances, hearing such words made Katara smile, reminded of Zuko.

"What say you?" the king demanded, "what say you?"

They said nothing.

"I am Isildur's Heir," Aragorn continued, "fight for me, and I will consider your oaths fulfilled. What say you?"

This offer was met with yet another loud cackle from the ghost king. Little by little, the ghost army disappeared. And then, the living visitors heard the rocks crumble around them, and waves of skulls spilled upon the ground. Quickly, they made their way through the flood of bones and finally out of the mountain.

Once safely out, they found themselves near the banks of the great river. And to Aragorn's great dismay, he saw the fleet of corsair ships that would soon reach Minas Tirith. The king fell to his knees in defeat, while Legolas and Gimli comforted him.

Katara, however, was not bothered by this at all. For at last she saw why Gandalf had ordered Aragorn to take her along. The river was wide and deep, and she felt stronger even just looking upon it.

The other three seemed to realize the significance of their location as well, and they remembered Katara's abilities. Hope returned to Aragorn's heart when he realized that if Katara could do so much with some rain and murky moat water, there was so much more she could do with a whole river at her command. All was not lost.

"You worry about convincing that dead army of yours," Katara told Aragorn with a smug expression on her face, "and I'll take care of those ships."

All of Minas Tirith watched as the small company of soldiers rode towards the Shadow. The orcs on the other side laughed scornfully at them and mocked their audacity.

Zuko could see that they were hopelessly outnumbered and yet still determined to fight. He grew angry at Denethor for having sent out his men on such a futile errand. But the firebender could see the courage in the men's eyes, especially that of Faramir.

Though they knew they were riding to their deaths, they were still going to do their best to defend their city. Zuko admired that in them but was also quickly devising a plan that would not end in tragedy. Minas Tirith would need all these soldiers to fight as they waited for help to come.

The firebender had already seen the vast numbers of Mordor's armies, hosts of orcs that made Saruman's Uruk-hai seem like a handful of orcs. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like such a waste to be riding out with so little men.

But Faramir was obedient to a fault, and his men clearly thought highly of their honor. And yet, Zuko knew that they would not even reach the front lines of the orcs before they were all shot down. He had to do something.

Faramir gave the signal and the men raised their swords. The horses were charging ahead and the soldiers were giving their battle cries. Zuko rode ahead of the single rank, because he saw that the orcs were already raising their bows and arrows.

"Why didn't we bring any archers?" Zuko thought, before calling to everyone to raise their shields and brace themselves for the arrows.

"What are you doing?" Faramir cried out.

"You'll see," the firebender replied.

Zuko then raised his hands and with swift movements, burned down the flying arrows, making them fall to the ground before they could reach their targets. For a few moments, the orcish archers were not able to prepare a second round since they were too shocked by the power of the lone soldier.

Taking advantage of their hesitation, Zuko began launching fire blasts at the ranks of orcs, and caused some significant damage before they were able to attack again. The leaders of the orc army were at first at a loss as to how to respond to such an unexpected tactic. They had not seen Zuko in action at Helm's Deep so his arrival now took them by surprise.

Faramir and his men were likewise astounded by the power wielded by the foreign youth, and they gained some more courage at seeing they had such an ally by their side. But courage alone would not help them win this fight. Nevertheless, they would stand their ground and do as much damage to their enemies' forces as they could.

They now knew that if they could buy some time for Minas Tirith, if they could delay the forces of Mordor until help from Rohan arrived, then their sacrifice would not have been in vain. So that is what they resolved to do.

Soon, Faramir realized that Zuko would be the main target for all the orcs so he rallied some of his best men to shield the firebender from the whizzing arrows. Zuko struggled to launch attacks to break the ranks of the orcs. As Faramir's men somehow fought some of the orcs, Zuko aimed for strategic points in the orc's army, going for long-term benefits.

The firebender saw that they had built large ladder-like structures that would undoubtedly be used to be able to cross the outer walls of the city. He rode as close as he could to the orcs and then launched fire blasts to destroy these ladders. The poor trolls who were painstakingly pushing these heavy things forward now had to contend with trying to keep them from burning down.

Zuko also aimed for the huge catapults and trebuchets the orcs had with them and with a few well-aimed shots, these wooden contraptions went up in flames, to the horror and hysteria of the surrounding orcs.

Zuko smiled, seeing that he was able to not only destroy some of their weapons but also distract some of them so as to lessen the attacks on the rest of the men. He was still being shot at but he knew when to raise his shield and when to burn down the arrows aimed at him. And Faramir was riding close by, eager to defend him.

"Thank you for your help," Faramir managed to say, "I have never seen such power!"

Zuko did not have time to gloat because more arrows were being launched at them and he was doing his best to burn them all down. He then noticed that Faramir had been struck by a few arrows already but still managed to ride on. His sword was stained with orc's blood but his armor was pierced in many places.

"You're wounded!" Zuko cried in alarm, surprised that Faramir could even move.

Faramir nodded, and Zuko then burned another arrow that was about to hit the already injured soldier.

There wasn't much time left. Zuko looked around him to see that there were some members of their company who still survived but many had already fallen, as expected. Even if they made a dent on the army of Mordor, there was not much they could do now. They needed to retreat.

"You've done the best that you could," Zuko told Faramir breathlessly, "now, it's time you save yourself and the rest of the men who are still standing. Return to the city now!"

Faramir nodded faintly and managed to shout, "Fall back! Fall back to Minas Tirith!" to the remaining men.

To ease their return, Zuko burned a line of large flames, creating a barrier between the orcs and the retreating soldiers. Then, he rode as fast as he could, with the rest of the soldiers, as they made their way across the plain back to the safety of the city.

The wall of fire managed to keep the orcs from pursuing them, at least temporarily, but Zuko was too busy running to be able to burn and destroy all the arrows that were whizzing through the air. Unable to evade the attacks, some of the men still fell and there was no more opportunity to stop and help them.

Zuko was frustrated that he could not do any more for them but he had no choice. He rode closer to the already swooning figure of Faramir, and Zuko saw that the brave soldier had been pierced by more arrows than he had initially noticed. The firebender supported the captain as they, and a very few others managed to ride back to the city. Zuko also noticed that the arrows had been poisoned and so Faramir was fast losing consciousness.

"Hold on!" the firebender urged, "you have to hold on!"

At the sight of the handful of survivors, the guards of Minas Tirith immediately opened the gates to let them in. The people gasped in horror and sorrow at the sight of so few survivors, and some mortally wounded.

Zuko called for help and some guards of the Citadel quickly arrived to take care of Faramir's unconscious body. Zuko instructed them to find a doctor to tend to Faramir's injuries but they said nothing and only gravely carried the body up to where Denethor was waiting.

Leaving Faramir in their hands, since he had fulfilled the promise of bringing him back alive, The firebender then panted heavily and began to sway from exhaustion.

Some of the soldiers around quickly went to support him and the people all applauded and cheered for the foreign hero. But Zuko was too tired and too worried to be able to properly take in all their praise.

Even as he tried to catch his breath, the fire prince was already racking his brain for a plan, for a good defensive strategy against the armies of Mordor. Now, that he had seen what they were up against, he understood that the battle of Helm's Deep was but a taste of the horrors they were all going to face.

There was so much preparation that needed to be done before the host of Sauron was at their door, and whatever barriers of fire he had left would not last long against the vast armies of the shadow.

"Gandalf!" Zuko cried out, "where is Gandalf?"

But he was met with confused and puzzled stares by the people around. He then remembered that the people of Gondor knew Gandalf by another name. Why this was so he could not understand. It was such an inconvenience to have so many things to remember at such a crucial time.

Calming down for a few moments to think, Zuko remembered the name Faramir had used.

"Mithrandir," he said with more conviction, and seeing the light of recognition on people's faces, he continued, "please, I need to speak with Mithrandir!"

Immediately, people scrambled to find the white rider while others gathered around Zuko, surprisingly respecting his authority and asking him for orders. The firebender could see the fear in the eyes of the soldiers and he tried his best to encourage them.

The enemies he had seen were uglier and more terrible than any he had ever encountered, and he did not think that there were such vile creatures in his world. The great storm had arrived and the great eye was fixed upon the free, determined to destroy every last one of them. Zuko could not be sure of how they would hold out against such a menacing foe.

But now that he had seen the people of Gondor, and fought alongside the best of them, Zuko felt a great responsibility to protect them against the vicious forces of the shadow. Something stirred within him and Zuko resolved to do everything in his power to prevent the filthy, repulsive servants of Sauron from defiling the beautiful and ancient stone city. The race of Numenor did not deserve such an ignoble end.

For as long as he could stand, he would not allow the city of kings to fall.