In Isengard, Saruman talked to the first of the humanoid creatures he bred. "Do you know how the Orcs first came into being? They were Elves once. Taken by the Dark Powers tortured and mutilated. A ruined and terrible form of life. And now perfected. My fighting Uruk-hai, whom do you serve?"
"Saruman," the first Uruk-hai known as Lurtz replied.
A hunting part of 5,000 Uruk warriors wielding swords and shields were assembled. They were fitted into armor and given the White Hand used as the insignia of the Isengard army. "Hunt them down. Do not stop until they are found. You do not know pain. You do not know fear. You will taste Man-flesh!" Saruman gave his speech causing the Uruks roared while raising their weapons into the air. "One of the Halflings carries something of great value. Bring them to me alive and unspoiled. Kill the others especially James Raynor and his allies," the traitorous wizard gave a clear order to Lurtz.
Lurtz and the Uruk hunters set out.
The Fellowship was preparing to depart from Lorien placing parcels into boats. "Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people. May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes," said Lord Celeborn as Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, Aragorn, and the four hobbits were given elven cloaks.
The Fellowship received gifts from Galadriel: Legolas received the bow of the Galadhrim, Merry and Pippin received daggers of Noldorin, Sam was given Elven rope, Gimli asked for nothing other than one look upon Galadriel one last time, and Frodo received the phial of Galadriel. Aragorn was the exception as Galadriel noticed the elvish gift he received from his love Arwen.
"My gift to you, Egon Stetmann, is a pack of Elvish medicine," Galadriel said to Stetmann.
"Thank you, my lady," Stetmann bowed.
"Hierarch Artanis, Commander James Raynor, Queen Sarah Kerrigan, I have nothing greater to give you three than the Elven Brooches. They will be reminders that you will never forget us," Galadriel said after the three leaders received the brooches.
"Thank you very much for the present, my lady," Jim bowed.
"Thank you, my lady. I ask for nothing more," said Artanis.
"It is a wonderful souvenir," Kerrigan muttered.
Legolas took out something from a package, "Lembas. Elvish waybread." He took a nibble, "One small bite is enough to fill the stomach of a grown man."
"How many did you eat?" Merry asked.
"Four," Pippin replied.
"It's quite marvelous," Stetmann took some of the Lembas so that he could study them one day.
"Every league you travel south, the danger will increase. Mordor Orcs now hold the eastern shore of the Anduin. Nor will you find safety on the western bank. Strange creatures bearing the White Hand have been seen on our borders. Seldom do Orcs journey in the open under the sun, yet these have done so," Celeborn said to Aragorn. "You are being tracked," he spoke in elvish. "By river, you have the chance of outrunning the enemy to the Falls of Rauros," the elf lord then said to the Dunedain in common tongue.
The Fellowship began travelling in the river: Frodo and Sam shared one with Aragorn; Merry and Pippin were with Boromir; Legolas and Gimli were in one boat; Jim and Kerrigan shared a boat; Tosh, Swann, and Stetmann were in one boat; Stukov, Zagara, and Dehaka shared a boat; Alarak and Vorazun were in a boat; Artanis and Karax shared a bigger boat with Talandar.
"I have taken my worst wound at this parting, having looked my last upon that which is fairest. Henceforth I will call nothing fair unless it be her gift to me," Gimli muttered.
"What was her gift?" Legolas asked.
"I asked her for one hair from her golden head. She gave me three."
The Fellowship traveled miles through the river and noticed something amiss. "Hierarch, you're being hunted," it was Rohana in the Spear of Adun.
"What?"
"You better be in your vigilance. I'm picking readings heading towards your positions."
"Readings?"
"I have no idea."
At a stopping point, Jim saw a log and a creature's head was briefly seen. "Gollum. He has tracked us since Moria. I had hoped we would lose him on the river. But he's too clever a waterman," said Aragorn.
"He's nothing but a nuisance. Gandalf said that he wanted the Ring very bad."
"Anyway, it seems that you have been through a lot before you return here."
Jim took his time to explain what he had been through along with his previous campaigns. Merry and Pippin eavesdropped without noticing. They felt someone touched their shoulders and it was Tosh, "Curious about the mighty Jim Raynor?"
"Uh, yes," Pippin replied.
The next day, the Fellowship continued traveling in the river. "Frodo," Aragorn got the young hobbit's attention. "The Argonath. Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old. My kin," he recognized one of the statues. They passed through the gap between the two statues in the river. The Fellowship had another stop in a river bank and a campfire was set up. "We cross the lake at nightfall. Hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the North," Aragorn announced.
"Oh, yes? Just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil, an impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks. And after that, it gets even better. Festering, stinking marshland as far as the eye can see," said Gimli.
"That is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf," the Dunedain made it clear.
"Recover my …" the dwarf was out of words.
"We should leave now," said Legolas.
"No, Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness," Aragorn spoke decisively.
"It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near. I can feel it," the elf spoke with concern.
"Recover strength? Pay no heed to that, young Hobbit," Gimli said to Merry who brought firewood.
"Where's Frodo?" Merry asked but there was no answer and Boromir's shield was seen.
"Let's spit up and search for the two," Jim ordered. Merry and Pippin went on one direction; Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli went on another; Swann and Stetmann searched somewhere else; Sam, Tosh, and Vorazun went separate ways; Zagara, Dehaka, and Stukov went on another direction; Artanis, Alarak, Karax, and Talandar searched somewhere; Kerrigan went with Jim to search for the two.
Jim and Kerrigan went to a place not far from the ruins. "There you are, Frodo. We should get back to the others," said Jim as the young hobbit was found.
"It has taken Boromir," Frodo spoke in a frightened.
"Is it the Ring?" Kerrigan asked.
"Stay away!" Frodo attempted to flee and ran a couple steps into the ruins.
"Frodo, calm down! We've all sworn to protect you," said Jim.
"Can you all protect me from yourselves?" Frodo asked as he showed them the Ring. "Would you destroy it?"
"Jim Raynor. The Queen of Blades," there were voices from the Ring.
Kerrigan approached Frodo and kneeled. She closed his hand concealing the Ring, "We would gladly see the Ring destroyed by the fires of Mount Doom."
"I know. Look after the others. Especially Sam. He will not understand," Frodo said sadly.
"That will be unlikely. No matter where you go, you will always be found by Sam," Jim spoke as he knew there was nothing to separate Frodo and Sam.
"Frodo, can I have a look at your sword?" Kerrigan asked. He unsheathed the short sword a bit and it was glowing blue.
"Enemies are inbound," Jim shouted as he readied his Gauss rifle. "Frodo, get out of here, now!"
"We'll hold them off," said Kerrigan as she and Jim faced a massive horde of muscled humanoid creatures they had not seen before. "What are they?" Kerrigan asked and there was no answer.
"I don't know," Jim opened fire at the creatures and the bullets cut through their flesh. Kerrigan stunned a group of them with her Crushing Grip while picking them off with her psionic blasts. She even had to use her sharp wings stab two of them at once when they got too close.
"Find the Halfling! Find the Halfling!" the leader of the creatures shouted causing most of them ran off.
"Sounds like trouble," said Artanis as he, Alarak, and Talandar heard the gunfire indicating enemies. They hurried to join the fight as their allies were engaging a possible new enemy.
"Our Queen needs help," said Zagara as she, Dehaka, and Stukov also heard the gunfire. They hurried to where the fight was occurring.
"What the hell," Swann muttered as he and Stetmann hurried following the sound of gunfire.
"Elendil!" Aragorn shouted as he, Legolas, and Gimli joined the fight first. The Dunedain slashed a creature, the elf released an arrow on one, and the dwarf took one down with a throwing axe.
"Do any of you know what the hell they are?" Jim demanded.
"These are Uruk-hai, much tougher than Orcs," Gimli replied as he hacked those creatures with his axe.
Legolas loosed an arrow killing two Uruks then stabbed an Uruk before releasing it on another. Aragorn tripped one with his sword and stabbed another with his curved dagger.
Something corrosive landed into an Uruk causing it to collapse into the ground motionlessly. "Your timing is impeccable," Kerrigan muttered as Stukov, Zagara, and Dehaka arrived.
"These are full of dark essence," Dehaka muttered as he slashed the Uruks with his claws one after another.
"What are they?" Stukov asked as hurled corrosive bolts at them.
"Uruk-hai," Kerrigan replied.
"Show them the fury of the Swarm," said Zagara as she stabbed two Uruks with her talons relentlessly.
Artanis and Talandar joined the fight by charging at groups of those creatures stunning those that were not damaged by the two. "What are they, friend Raynor?" Artanis asked.
"They are Uruk-hai," Jim replied as an Uruk got close to him and stabbed it using the bayonet of his gun.
Alarak casted Destruction Wave killing a group of Uruks then sliced two of them into shreds with his Bane Blades. Artanis sliced two Uruks into pieces with his Twilight Blades while Talandar slammed the Uruks with his Purifier Blades. The Purifier leader also used Whirlwind killing the Uruks that dared to converge upon him. Karax placed another Photon Cannon and took down an Uruk with his servitude drones.
Swann and Stetmann arrived to the scene. "What are they?" Stetmann asked.
"They are Uruk-hai according to Jim," Karax replied.
Swann picked off the Uruks in a distance with his grenade launcher and used his cybernetic arm to melee the Uruks that got too close. He also deployed the Flaming Betty that caught lines of Uruks on fire causing them to run around then fall to the ground motionlessly.
Legolas knifed the Uruks, Gimli hacked another Uruk, and Aragorn stabbed an Uruk and slammed its head onto the wall. The dwarf slammed an Uruk with the axe blade and the Dunedain stabbed an Uruk that was behind him.
Jim stabbed an Uruk with the bayonet of his rifle, Kerrigan impaled two Uruks with her wings, Swann slammed an Uruk with his cybernetic arm, Zagara stabbed two Uruks with her talons, Artanis somersaulted slicing every Uruk in his path, Talandar used Whirlwind on the surrounding Uruks, and Alarak casted another Destruction Wave killing another group of Uruks.
No matter how many Uruks were slain, there were more to replace the fallen. One Uruk grabbed hold onto Aragorn while Legolas used his bow to shoot the Uruks before freeing the Dunedain by releasing an arrow on the Uruk.
There were sounds that Legolas recognized as, "The horn of Gondor."
"Boromir," Aragorn spoke as the man of Gondor would need help.
"He's drawing attention of friends and foes," said Swann.
"How foolish," Alarak commented.
"We have to reach him before enemy reinforcements do," said Artanis as they hurried taking down any Uruk on their path while hearing more blowing of the horn.
Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Jim, Swann, Stetmann, Kerrigan, Zagara, Dehaka, Stukov, Artanis, Karax, Alarak, and Talandar reached Boromir. Unfortunately the man of Gondor was mortally wounded with three arrows on his shoulder, stomach, and chest. There was an Uruk that appeared to be the leader readied his bow.
"Let me handle him," Artanis charged at the Uruk leader so that the arrow could fly somewhere else. The others watched the Uruk-hai drew its sword while taking a dead Uruk's shield. The Uruk leader hurled the shield at the Protoss hierarch who sliced the projectile with his Twilight blades. The Uruk-hai charged at Artanis with his sword and attempted to slash him. When the Protoss parried the steel blade with his blade, the steel sword was being cut. "This is for Boromir," Artanis slashed the Uruk leader into four pieces.
"No," said Aragorn as he and the group hurried to the dying man.
"His wounds are too critical. I don't think I can patch him up," said Stetmann as he examined him.
"They took the little ones," said Boromir.
"All four of them?" Artanis asked.
"No, just Merry and Pippin," the dying man spoke with certainty. "Frodo. Where is Frodo?"
"We let Frodo go," Jim replied.
"Then you did what I could not," said Boromir.
"What are you talking about?" Kerrigan asked.
"I tried to take the Ring from him," the dying man confessed.
"There's no way for us to catch up to him," said Jim.
"Forgive me, I did not see it. I have failed you all," said Boromir.
"No, Boromir. You did the best you can," Kerrigan attempted to mollify him as there were more dead Uruks near him.
"The world of Men will fall. And all will come to darkness and my city to ruin," said Boromir.
"I do not know what strength is in my blood but I swear to you, I will not let the White City fall nor our people fail," Aragorn swore.
"Our people, our people," Boromir struggled and the Strider let him grasp his sword. "I would have followed you, my brother. My captain. My king." He turned to Jim, "Jim, will you and your friends promise me to protect my city and my people?"
"You have our word. Long as we're here, we'll make sure your city will not fall," Jim and his allies kept their promise, however Boromir passed away.
Jim and Aragorn did gestures of respect. "Be at peace, son of Gondor," said Aragorn as he kissed the dead man on the forehead. "They will look for his coming from the White Tower. But he will not return."
Frodo escaped, and then reminisced on his conversation between him and Gandalf in Moria. He then put the Ring into his pocket and took a boat. Frodo's arms were being held by two unseen beings that turned to be a man in a strange suit claimed to be a Spectre and strange humanoid creature that claimed to be a Nerazim. "Let me go!" Frodo shouted. "Let me go to Mordor alone!"
"Frodo!" it was Sam who caught up to them.
"It's not safe going there yourself, you're out of your mind," the Nerazim said to Frodo.
"I'm coming with you," said Sam.
"Let us go together by means of stealth," said the Spectre as he and the Nerazim released Frodo.
"I made a promise, Mr. Frodo. A promise: 'Don't you leave him, Samwise Gamgee.' And I don't mean to. I don't mean to," Sam gave a reminder.
"Sam," Frodo and his friend hugged. "Come on," he reluctantly let the Spectre and the Nerazim to come with them. The group of four took a boat and rowed to the other side of the lake.
Boromir's body and his belongings were placed into a boat so that it could go into the waterfall.
"Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore," said Legolas as he prepared a boat.
"Tosh is with them," Jim spoke as he realized that the spectre leader was not fighting alongside with them.
"So is Vorazun," Artanis made an assumption.
"You mean not to follow them," said Legolas.
"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands," Aragorn muttered.
"Then it has all been in vain. The Fellowship has failed," said Gimli.
"Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light. Let us hunt some Orc," Aragorn said to his allies.
"Yes!" Gimli was pumped up.
"Though the Fellowship failed, the quest has not," said Artanis as they began to pursue the party of Uruk-hai that held Merry and Pippin captives.
Frodo and Sam along with their two unlikely allies were on their own. "Mordor. I hope the others find a safer road."
"Strider and Jim will look after them," Sam attempted to reassure him.
"I faith in the leadership of the hierarch," the Nerazim muttered.
"I don't suppose we'll ever see them again," said Frodo.
"We may yet, Mr. Frodo. We may," said Sam.
"We'll see them again after the quest," the Spectre spoke with certainty.
"Sam, I'm glad you are with me," Frodo smiled at Sam.
"What are your names?" Sam asked their two allies.
"Call me Tosh," the Spectre gave out his name.
"I am Vorazun," the Nerazim introduced herself.
"I'm happy that the two of you are with us," said Frodo as the group of four resumed their journey to Mordor.
Author's Note
Ever since the Breaking of the Fellowship, the story is split. The next chapter will be on Frodo and his group.