Disclaimer: I have no creative rights over the characters and places you can identify in this story and have no way profited from this work.
12/10/2013
Nimbus Llewelyn: Thanks for picking up that typo. Chapters 30 and 31 and their associated reviews generated a bit of debate around the Odin v Sauron issue.
Brad W: Like PJ, I think Kenneth Branagh had to make some compromises to make a piece of literature work on the screen.
gunman: The written form has allowed me to flesh out stuff that the film trilogy couldn't expand on for a number of reasons.
Chapter 41 – No Going Back
The Army of the West had halted on the third morning since leaving Minas Tirith. It had reached the location in Ithilien where the northward road from Harad was crossed by the east-west road that connected Osgiliath and Minas Morgul. The location was known as the 'Crossroad of the Fallen King'.
In ages past, Gondor had constructed statue of a king at the Crossroads. But Sauron's growing power in recent years had seen the Crossroads fall under Mordor's control. His orcs had desecrated the statue by knocking off its head and putting an effigy with a painted red eye in its place. To symbolise Gondor's liberation from Sauron, Aragorn had ordered the effigy be removed and replaced with the original head. The head lay on the ground slightly away from the rest of the statute. A number in the Army thought it was a good omen that the statue's head had been naturally crowned with flowers.
The Army of the West had also reached a metaphorical crossroad in addition. Minas Morgul was currently about a league away. Within Aragorn's tent, a debate was taking place about whether the Army should strike at Minas Morgul. It was now likely vacant following Mordor's defeat at Pelennor Fields. Rogers had been arguing strongly for it and Gandalf equally against.
"I know our whole strategy's an all or nothing gamble," Rogers acknowledged to the gathering he was part of. "But we should still take every opportunity to improve the odds."
"Great evil still lies within the Morgul Vale," Gandalf countered. "Evil that can lead many into base terror and madness."
"Gandalf, when it comes to sorcery, you're the expert here," Rogers conceded. "I'm looking at this from a military standpoint. Ignoring Minas Morgul exposes our rear. Not to mention giving Sauron a clear path to Minas Tirith."
The prospect of the White City being assaulted again troubled Gondorians across all ranks.
"My uncle made the same argument prior to departing with Elfhelm," Boromir backed Rogers's position.
"Then I shall argue in military terms," Gandalf replied with a twinkle in his eye. The White Wizard was nonetheless emphatic in his desire to win this argument. "Assaulting Minas Morgul would require a significant show of force – one that would certainly attract the Dark Lord's attention. In doing so, his gaze would also fall on the Pass of Cirith Ungol with the Ring-bearer in the vicinity." Gandalf paused to let this sink in before concluding, "We can't hope to draw Sauron's attention away from Frodo if our actions encourage the exact opposite!"
Gandalf's argument gave Captain America pause for thought. If nothing else, the number of lose-lose choices kept increasing. Before Rogers could say anything, another of the Fellowship intervened to underline the Army of the West was not led by committee.
"This debate risks becoming circular." Legolas observed before asking, "What is your decision, Aragorn?"
Aragorn thought for a moment before announcing his most important campaign decision since leaving Minas Tirith.
"Too much mystery surrounds the Mogul Vale for my comfort," Aragorn commented. "A reconnaissance will not take long. The party will consist only of Gandalf, Thor and I."
Aragorn felt if Minas Morgul was surrounded by potent sorcery, it was best to bring the Fellowship members best able to match it. Others, however, had concerns about the army's two most powerful magic users being absent any length of time.
"Does the rest of our host then not risk being attacked by the Dwimmerlaik?" Eomer queried.
As far as Eomer was concerned, he could only describe Thor's demonstrated powers as 'magic'. All knew that magic helped destroy the Witch-king. That fact greatly helped in steadying the collective nerve of the Army the closer it got to the Black Gates.
"I cannot speak for Gandalf," Thor started. "But the Nazgul will discover they'll need more than a league to be safe from me."
"You forget, Eomer," Boromir added. "Legolas and Steve have also hurt the fell-beasts." He then gave Banner a knowing look. "And I certainly think the Other Guy would be more than capable of doing so as well."
"He'd be taking after someone who jumped up and down atop Empire State Building," Banner mused aloud.
The Avengers had previously told the original Fellowship about one of New York's iconic landmarks. But Rogers was the only one present who understood the cultural reference Banner was alluding to.
"Sorry, Bruce," Rogers commented in jest. "But the King Kong from my time's better than the two from yours."
The rest of the room was confused as the Americans shared a knowing laugh.
"I'd like to know more about this 'King Kong'," Gimli commented to the pair. "Perhaps you can tell his tale while we await our friends' return. Given he could jump as high as Hulk can, I'm not surprised two subsequent rulers were named after him!"
The three members of the scouting party didn't take long to reach Minas Morgul. It was still morning. Though to an observer, it would appear the trio had arrived at midnight. Sauron's fume was a major reason that the sky above Minas Morgul and its surrounds was pitch black. But other forces were at work as well.
Isildur founded Minas Ithil in the Second Age as a fortress city to defend Gondor from Sauron in Mordor. Situated in an upland valley at the feet of the Mountains of Shadow, it commanded the only easily accessible pass through the mountains into Mordor and east of Osgiliath. Minas Ithil also housed one of the palantiri rescued from Numenor. Prolonged warfare throughout the Third Age saw Gondor's hold on the fortress weaken until a thousand years ago a force of the Nazgul captured it and its seeing stone. Minas Ithil became known as 'Minas Morgul' and the valley it was located was now called the 'Morgul Vale'.
Gandalf had told Thor that Minas Morgul meant 'Tower of Black Sorcery' in Sindarin. The Asgardian could sense such sorcery being projected unseen from within the bounds of Minas Morgul. It looked to be a star shaped stone fortress with a tall tower in its dark centre. It radiated a sickly green glow even more unsettling than the one the Oathbreakers projected. A lengthy stone bridge several ranks wide connected Minas Morgul with the road to Osgiliath. Two demonic statues were mounted either side at the western head of the bridge. The bridge crossed a streaming body of water deep below it that possessed a deadly cold vapour. The water formed part of the foulest river in Middle-earth known as the 'Morgulduin'. The Morgulduin's waters would harm nearly anyone who touched them.
Thor now understood why Gandalf was against the Army of the West attacking the fortress even if it was abandoned. Heavy fear and enmity surrounded the Morgul Vale. Its evil could potentially send mortal minds insane. Even Shadowfax seemed to be chaffing at Gandalf's desire to stay for the time being. From what Gandalf had told him, Thor shuddered to think how Frodo and Sam would've found this place.
The Asgardian noticed Gandalf's immediate attention was not on Minas Morgul. The White Wizard appeared to be closely examining the mountainside just to the trio's right. Trying to ascertain what Gandalf was seeking; Thor noticed what appeared to be a narrow staircase (more a series of handholds) that had been hewed into the rock that ascended ever upward.
"What's that carved into the mountain?" Thor quietly asked Gandalf.
The Wizard didn't want the slightest risk his voice being overheard by any of Sauron's spies.
"The stairs leading to the Pass of Cirith Ungol," Gandalf whispered in reply. "An evil lurks there even greater than the one covering the Morgul Vale. I cannot sense it though. Hopefully, it's a favourable sign for us."
Aragorn and Thor were troubled by Gandalf's reply. First, that Sauron's evil could be stronger than the one that covered the Morgul Vale. Second, Gandalf hinted this evil to be an entity of sorts. Aragorn refocussed the scouting party's attention on what it came here for. He was as keen to leave this place as his steed was.
"I don't observe any activity in yonder tower," Aragorn said having returned his attention to Minas Morgul.
"Yes," Gandalf agreed. "The Enemy's strength must be concentrated somewhere else in Mordor."
"Nonetheless, Steve's concerns about this place remain valid for me," Aragorn gave in rejoinder. "We cannot let the Enemy open any more fronts against us than he has already." There was a pause before he commanded his companions, "Could the pair of you please destroy the bridge."
"Save your strength, Gandalf," Thor told him before dismounting. "I still have bad memories of the last time you destroyed bridge."
Holding the reins of Thor's skittish steed, Gandalf gave a knowing smile as he warned; "Don't engage in too blatant a display of power, Thor. One of your attacks could garner Sauron's attention quicker than many launched by the rest of the army."
Thor simply gave an understanding nod before he walked on to the bridge. When he was about a third of the way across, he slammed Mjolnir into it. He repeated this action twice before the middle-third of the bridge crumbled into the Morgulduin. A large gap now existed that would take Sauron's forces considerable time to repair. Thor quickly returned to his companions before they hastily departed the scene.
From within Barad-dur, Sauron sensed the bridge's destruction. The scouting party was long gone by the time he gazed on Minas Morgul. Upon seeing the broken bridge, the Dark Lord concluded the Army of the West could only be headed towards the Black Gate. He issued orders for his forces within Mordor to start marching in that direction.
The scouting party began to feel the Morgul Vale's evil receding as they left the place behind them. Aragorn felt secure enough to try and raise their spirits.
"I must say, Thor," Aragorn admiringly observed, "that's the quickest I've seen such a bridge destroyed."
Thor whimsically remembered destroying the Bifrost. "Not my first."
The Black Gate of Mordor was also known in Sindarin as the 'Morannon'. It was located in north-west Mordor and was the most fortified and direct entrance into the Black Land.
Sauron had originally built the Black Gate during the Second Age. His main aim was to prevent invasion into Mordor through the gap between the Mountains of Shadow and the Ash Mountains. After the Dark Lord's defeat at the time, Gondor claimed the Black Gate to watch over Mordor. The Gondorians built a great tower on either side of the Gate each capable of overlooking it. This pair of towers became known as the 'Towers of the Teeth'. The western tower was called 'Narchost' and the eastern one 'Carchost'. Similar to Minas Morgul, Sauron's forces eventually reclaimed the Black Gate and gratefully put to use the fortifications that Gondor had added to it.
The Black Gate itself was set in an impregnable black stone and iron about sixty feet high and two hundred and fifty feet long. Each half of its gate was ninety feet wide and set on large stone wheels. Behind the gate were gigantic circular stone ramparts. When the gate needed to be opened, two pairs of Mountain Trolls tethered to gigantic beams pushed their way around their rampart's track. The gate was gradually levered opened allowing for the incoming or outgoing of Mordor's armies. Inset and atop the wall were myriads of orc infantry and archers along with ballistae and catapults ready to defend Mordor. The gates themselves were rumoured to be of the same indomitable stone that constituted the Orthanc.
This was what confronted the Army of the West upon reaching its destination after travelling a week. The Avengers thought compared to some of Middle-earth's other architectural marvels; the Black Gate possessed a terrible beauty all of its own.
Following habit, Captain America did a quick military assessment of the surrounds. The terrain in front of the Black Gate was barren plain of dust and gravel. Two large slag hills were north on the plain. The plain itself was surrounded by a number of low-lying rocky hills. The fighting would be in a confined space allowing little in the way of manoeuvre. If the Army of the West was bigger, such terrain could help nullify the numerical advantage enjoyed by Mordor's forces. But Eomer was right about no clear line of retreat for the Army if it were surrounded.
Rogers didn't know that directly behind the Black Gate was a deep circular valley, ringed by sheer black cliffs. The valley was known as the 'Udun' whose only access points was the Black Gate and a narrow pass to the south called the 'Isenmouthe'. Udun was the Middle-earth word closest to the Earth word 'Hell'. If he'd known this, Rogers would have more appreciated the implications of his current thoughts.
Well, Colonel Phillips, Rogers silently mused. I mightn't be escorting Adolf Hitler. But I certainly think I've come to the Gates of Hell!
The Army of the West began to nervously deploy under the darkened skies above them. Its mounted leaders and Rogers stood to the front. The remainder of the Army began forming into ranked lines. The formation was dotted with raised banners from across Gondor and Rohan. All ranks knew that the moment of truth would soon be upon them. Their anticipation was made worse that due to no sign of activity from Mordor.
"Where are they?" Pippin asked with a whisper about Sauron's absent forces.
"Hiding, Pippin." Thor remarked to him before contemptuously concluding, "As cowards always do."
Aragorn believed Thor's words, while sincere, were more to boost Pippin's spirits than to give an accurate assessment of the situation. Whatever the reason the Dark Lord hadn't deployed his forces, Aragorn was sure it wasn't due to fear. The Army of the West needed to force the issue nonetheless. Both to assist Frodo and to counter the creeping fear being felt by many in the Army.
Aragorn spurred his horse towards the Black Gate. The rest of the Fellowship and Eomer followed creating a fairly sizeable delegation. The sight of Captain America running alongside horses wasn't too a big a surprise now for many in the Army. The delegation stopped short of the Black Gate before Aragorn called out to the Free People's absent foe.
"Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth!" Aragorn loudly commanded. "Let justice be done on him!"
The only response the delegation initially heard was the sniggers of the Orcs atop the Black Gate before silence reigned again. The seconds began to drag by. Soon the only sound the delegation could hear was the hot, dry wind currently blowing over the area.
This was a deliberate response by Sauron. He wanted to keep his enemies on tenterhooks as they anxiously guessed how he would reply. He also wanted to humiliate Aragorn in front of his followers. Sauron wanted to cast in the minds of the Army of the West that he didn't think their leader to be his equal. The Dark Lord would answer the summons at his own convenience not because Isildur's heir demanded it. Aragorn expected that Sauron could reply in this manner to his summons. He had discussed an appropriate counter-response with one of the Avengers.
"Sauron used his hammer against the Great Gate," Aragorn remarked before looking at the God of Thunder. "Thor, could you please return the favour as we discussed?"
Thor gave a knowing smirk as he gripped Mjolnir. He pointed it at the Black Gate and released a powerful thunderclap. Despite the strong materials it was made of, the Black Gate noticeably shook from the sonic blast delivered against it. A number of orc sentries reflexively covered their ears in pain from the sonic blast they'd just received.
The delegation heard the Gondorians and Rohirrim behind them approve of Thor's display of power with a loud cheer. This could be the first battle against Mordor in ages where Men held the advantage in supernatural powers! Their cheers were quickly silenced when the Black Gate swung open ever so marginally.
Thor's display of power had brought its desired result. Sauron's response to Aragorn's summons passed through the Black Gate.
Mordor's embassy passed through the narrow gap between the two halves of the Black Gate. An emissary riding a skeletal black horse led a handful of orcs. One of the orcs carried a black banner with the Eye of Sauron painted red upon it. The emissary was robed all in black and wore a peaked black helm. The emissary was none other than the Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dur.
Like many of the Nazgul, the Lieutenant's original name had long been forgotten including by himself. However, he was no Ringwraith but a living man. It was rumoured that he was a Black Numenorean who entered the service of the Dark Tower when it first rose again. It was during this service that he learned great knowledge and sorcery. He eventually gained Sauron's notice and favour, resulting in the Dark Lord elevating him his current position.
His helm covered most of his pale-skinned face with the exception of his horribly disfigured and diseased mouth. His lips formed a mouth twice the size of a normal man's. The only thing more unsettling than his lips was the heavy, distorted voice he spoke with them.
"I am the Mouth of Sauron," he imperiously introduced himself to the delegation.
The whole delegation caught a glance of the Mouth's black and bloodied teeth his lips had concealed. The Mouth's dentures reminded the Avengers of the 'fangs' on a Chitauri Leviathan.
"Does any in this rout have authority to treat with me or indeed the wit to understand me?" the Mouth contemptuously asked the delegation before him. He derisively told Aragorn, "Not thou at least! It takes more to make a king than a piece of elvish glass or a rabble such as this. Why, any brigand of the hills can show as good a following!"
Aragorn gave no answer to the Mouth other than a strong and resolute stare. Thor's eyes though flashed with anger at the Mouth's insult. He gripped Mjolnir as if he was going to attack the Mouth with it. The Mouth noted both Aragorn and Thor's responses to his words. Sauron had told him what Mjolnir was capable of. The Mouth now thought Aragorn's composure was the result of the Free Peoples deciding to be unusually ruthless. Any servant of Sauron who insulted Isildur's heir would receive a blast similar to the one that finished off the Witch-king.
"I am a herald and ambassador, and may not be assailed!" the Mouth warned in panic.
"Where such laws hold," said Gandalf, "it's also the customer for ambassadors to use less insolence. But no one has threatened you. You have nothing to fear from us until your errand is done."
Inwardly relieved he wasn't about to be vaporised, the Mouth ignored Gandalf's request and returned to an arrogant and antagonistic manner.
"Ah, the Greybeard!" the Mouth condescendingly acknowledged Gandalf. "Ever foolishly plotting against my master. The latest being the spokesman for these pathetic wretches."
"We do not come to treat with Sauron, faithless and accursed!" Gandalf brusquely responded.
The Mouth clenched his teeth at Gandalf's description as it could be equally applied to Sauron and himself.
"Tell your master this," Gandalf sternly continued. "He and his servants ignore the king's call for justice at their peril. The Armies of Mordor will be disbanded. Sauron is to depart from these lands never to return."
The Mouth gave a small snort of contempt to this before speaking.
"So, you choose to open negotiations with empty threats?" the Mouth observed. "I respond with a token I was bidden to show thee."
The Mouth quickly raised a finger. An orc from his embassy came forward carrying a bundle of black cloth. The Orc roughly placed the bundle before Shadowfax's feet. Rogers moved to pick up the bundle as the Orc returned to its fellows. The Mouth wore an evil smile as Rogers began opening the bundle. He was much anticipating delegation's reaction to what was hidden in the bundle. This anticipation was first met with Rogers giving a tiny gasp at what he'd unwrapped.
Rogers slowly turned around to show what he'd uncovered. Nearly all were ashen faced when he passed a coat of mithril armour to Gandalf. All the Fellowship knew whom the armour belonged to.
"Frodo!" Pippin involuntarily released.
"Silence," Gandalf ordered him.
"No!" Merry cried at the thought of his cousin being a prisoner of the Dark Lord.
"Silence!" Gandalf rebuked more strongly.
Merry and Pippin's reactions were all the confirmation the Mouth required. As was the tiny tear running down Gandalf's cheek. The White Wizard now had no room to deny knowing the wearer.
"The halfling is dear to thee I see," the Mouth commented. "Who would've thought one so small can endure so much pain? And he is still yet to suffer the worst of our tortures."
Banner initially shared Merry and Pippin's anguish. His anguish was now turning to a burning anger as he tried not to imagine the depravities Frodo had suffered. Banner had been able to ignore Saruman's barbs because they were only directed at him personally. But the Mouth's boasting about Frodo's torture was too much. The Avengers had all agreed to follow Aragorn's lead in this particular fight. Like the Other Guy, all Banner wanted now was to brutally wipe the ugly smile off this arrogant jerk.
The Mouth noticed the furious glare Banner was giving him and the torment behind it. He well knew about the Other Guy.
"The halfling dies the moment the man-beast is released," he smugly told the delegation.
All eyes in the delegation were now on Banner. Despite the Mouth's arrogance, Aragorn still believed in adhering to the rules of diplomacy. The Other Guy now threatened to violate all of them. The Mouth deserved to be pulverised by Hulk. But Frodo's life could currently be hanging in the balance. Fortunately for the delegation, Banner had this realisation before it was too late.
Banner recalled how the Ring first provoked the Other Guy's anger towards an innocent Frodo. He wasn't going to let Frodo suffer from the Dark Lord's provocation a second time. Banner called on some of his meditation training to calm himself before speaking.
"Sorry, guys," Banner tersely told the rest of the delegation. "But I need to remove myself from this environment."
The Mouth chortled with delight upon Banner riding back towards the rest of the Army.
"So much power clouded by so much fear," he maliciously mused about Banner to all present.
It was surprising who responded to the Mouth as well as who backed him up.
"You're the one who should be scared of Hulk!" Pippin snapped at the way Banner's feelings had been hurt.
"A power that shouldn't be put to the test!" Gandalf gruffly added.
"This rabble has tested my master's patience enough!" the Mouth sharply countered. He continued in a tone of arrogant surety. "Unlike thee, Sauron the Great does not make demands on the back of empty threats. You will accept his terms. Especially if you want the prisoner returned alive and still recognisable…"
Rogers had held his silence since finding Frodo's coat. He'd initially shared the delegation's feelings of horror and anger. But he had the mental discipline to tactically analyse the situation also. His analysis made him begin to question if Frodo and the Ring had truly fallen into Sauron's grasp.
All the Mouth had said about halflings had been in relation to Frodo. But Sam was a stalwart companion who'd never abandon Frodo no matter the circumstances. Rogers found it hard believing if Frodo was a prisoner that Sam wasn't one also. The Mouth would've at least given the stock 'it's only a matter of time' even if Sam hadn't been captured. This was countered by the depressing possibility that something had happened to Sam prior to Frodo reaching Mordor.
But Rogers also doubted the Mouth's word from his own experience. No matter where they were found, evil overlords had one thing in common. They were absolutely ruthless in pursuing their plans. Particularly once they had all the tools they needed to carry them out. If Sauron had the One Ring, it was doubtful he'd waste time delivering insults. The Dark Lord certainly wouldn't negotiate for the life of, to him at least, an insignificant hobbit when he could begin conquering Middle-earth immediately. Evil leaders usually only talked with their opponents for two reasons. Their opponents had something they needed or to stall for time. Rogers began to feel Sauron was negotiating because of the latter. Unfortunately, the Avengers' best interrogator wasn't present to ascertain the truth of this assumption. Rogers decided to apply what he'd learned from her instead.
"He's lying," Rogers casually remarked to all present.
"Silence, boy!" the Mouth angrily snapped.
Rogers thought he was on to something given the Mouth's reaction. Romanoff once told him that nearly all liars were paranoid about their lies being exposed. One of the best tactics an interrogator could use was to play on that paranoia.
"I don't know about the rest of you," Rogers remarked to his friends in a manner to rile the Mouth further. "But the great and powerful Sauron must be getting pretty desperate to negotiate with the likes of us."
The Mouth readopted a condescending tone while sneering, "Is this is the best an Avenger has against the might of Sauron – childish insolence?"
Having experienced and observed SHIELD interrogations, Thor cottoned on to what Rogers was up to.
"Oh I've seen and fought Sauron's supposed might," Thor advised the Mouth. "I remain unimpressed by it - especially his petty and tiny herald."
The Mouth was livid at Thor's insult for two reasons. First, because no one dared talk to the Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dur like that! Second, because a number of the delegation gave amused smirks in response to his dignity being affronted.
"The halfling will suffer greatly if the tongues of Avengers are not immediately stilled!" the Mouth furiously told Gandalf.
Rogers's scepticism was proving catchy among the delegation. The Mouth's responses to the Avengers had caused Gandalf to rethink his previous despondency. Unless there was definitive proof otherwise, he had to still trust in Frodo. Both Rogers and Thor thought that Gandalf's words implied he had no trouble with the Avengers' entry into the negotiations.
"Where is the prisoner you speak of?" Gandalf probed the Mouth. "It would be easier to still such tongues if he was brought forth and yielded to us."
"Do not bandy words in your insolence with the Mouth of Sauron!" he cried. "If you seek my master's clemency you must first do his bidding. Your hopelessly outnumbered force allows you little choice otherwise!"
Thor derisively laughed at this infuriating the Mouth even further.
"You truly are as sightless as you are repulsive!" Thor mocked the Mouth. "Sauron's the one who's outnumbered. Three of Earth's mightiest heroes stand on the side of the Free Peoples. How many can Mordor claim?"
"Not that the Free Peoples have needed us all that much, Thor," Rogers joined in. Getting information about Frodo and Sam was more important now than the discomfort of telling a white lie. "In all the battles we've seen, Sauron's forces have always outnumbered the Free Peoples'. And each time his forces have suffered a crushing defeat."
The representatives of the Free Peoples were honoured by Rogers' indirect compliment. The Mouth of Sauron though was positively frothing as he felt the negotiations slipping out of his control.
"You dare choose to speak in such a tone?!" he practically screamed at Rogers and Thor. "The Free Peoples will suffer greatly because of your insolent boasts! Especially once my m-"
The Mouth stopped himself upon realising what he was about to let slip in his rage. He hoped that the delegation hadn't guessed what he'd halted himself from blurting out. It was a forlorn hope as they had all come to the same conclusion when they heard the word 'once'.
Gotcha! Rogers thought. Nonetheless, it was still best that any reply didn't contain any reference to the Ring-bearer.
"Maybe the Free Peoples will end up suffering because us." Rogers said before defiantly declaring, "But like a good friend of mine once said, if we can't protect Middle-earth you can be damn sure we'll avenge it!"
The Mouth was completely lost for words at this. But Aragorn finally broke his silence in the negotiations.
"If your master refuses to accept our terms then we've no more reason to treat with you," Aragorn firmly told the Mouth. "He'll now regret having ever having waged war against us."
"Begone!" Gandalf sharply ordered the Mouth.
The Mouth simply replied with an angry cry and snarl at the delegation. He and the rest of Mordor's embassy swiftly returned back to Mordor through the Black Gate.
Gimli quietly remarked to Legolas, "I actually enjoyed how those negotiations failed."
It was then that the Black Gate began opening to its full width. Revealed to the delegation was the Mouth now at the head of Sauron's forces in Mordor. The Dark Lord had been concentrating these forces in the Udun over the last few days. Orcs, Trolls, Easterlings and Haradrim all comprised a great host that was several fold larger than the one that assaulted Minas Tirith. They began marching forward after the Mouth angrily waved his sword at the Army of the West.
"Fall back!" Aragorn commanded the delegation.
The delegates rode swiftly back to the rest of the Army of the West. If they weren't following his orders, Aragorn knew the Avengers wouldn't have hesitated to immediately attack. But the rest of the Army of the West had nothing like the Avengers' powers to give them similar confidence. A number of Gondorian and Rohirrim soldiers were already shuffling nervously as the Hosts of Mordor moved to surround them.
"Hold your ground!" Aragorn loudly rallied the waverers. "Hold your ground!"
The Army momentarily stilled at these words and all ranks gave Aragorn their undivided attention. Aragorn rode back and forwards in front of them as he spoke. The men under his command mightn't possess the Avengers' powers. But Aragorn wanted to instil in them something else the Avengers possessed – a refusal to accept defeat no matter the situation.
"Sons of Gondor, of Rohan. Of America, and Asgard. My brothers!
"I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship; but it is not this day!
"An hour of woe, and shattered shields, when the Age of Men comes crashing down; but it is not this day! This day we fight!
"By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!"
There was no cheering in response to Aragorn's speech. Not that Aragorn minded. The look in his follower's eyes indicated his speech had achieved its objective.
The Fellowship members made their final preparations before battle was joined.
At Gandalf's behest, Shadowfax led the rest of the horses away from the battlefield before the Army of the West was completely surrounded. Boromir finally gave the Standard of Elendil to a herald and armed himself with his broadsword and shield. Legolas and Gimli quietly confirmed the friendship they'd built from being part of the Fellowship. Rogers and Thor walked up to Banner who appeared to be calmer than when they last saw him.
"So," Banner nonchalantly observed about Mordor's converging forces. "This all seems horrible."
Both Rogers and Thor smiled as they remembered the last time Banner had said such words.
"Well before you 'suit up', Bruce," Rogers replied indicating he wanted the Avengers to have a private discussion.
The trio formed a close huddle and Rogers began to speak in a hushed tone.
"I don't know if it was fate that brought us to Middle-earth. And I know we haven't had much time to find a way back home. But I'm proud how we all decided that fighting to save a world that's not our own was more important.
"I don't know if finding a way back hinges on the outcome of this battle. But I think we've a much better chance of finding that way if Middle-earth's ruled by the Free Peoples rather than Sauron.
"If a way isn't found, let's make Middle-earth a place we can be proud to call home."
Captain America looked at Thor and Banner's reactions to this and liked what he saw. He then gave them his final instructions for this battle.
"Avengers, assemble!"
I think it's obvious the confrontation with the Mouth of Sauron is one of my favourite parts in the book. The scene in the extended film came across to me as just a bit of a bone thrown to Tolkien devotees.
I had to include Aragorn's rallying speech in this chapter. I only wanted to add couple of changes to what many consider to be one of the great fictional pre-battle addresses.
I didn't include Shelob in this crossover as I thought Sam's actions in canon shouldn't be diminished. Unlike the Witch-king in this story, Shelob hadn't been amplified in power to require the Avengers' intervention.
I thought PJ's King Kong was overly long despite being technically very good.
It goes without saying the next chapter will likely be a lengthy one. On that basis, readers shouldn't expect as quick a turnaround time like for this and the previous chapter.
[RD: I wonder if we'll have to wait until Infinity War to hear Cap say the two magic words in full?]