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.
16/11/2013
Sorry readers for the delay with this chapter but I had to deal with a short illness between the last chapter and this one.
I saw the Thor sequel last week - and some reviewers complain about the cliffhanger chapters in this crossover! Nonetheless I didn't like it as much as the first Thor movie although the main orchestral theme was pretty stirring.
Spoiler Alert: This chapter alludes to events that may be shown in future instalments of The Hobbit.
Thanathos: Thanks for picking up that typo. Earlier chapters note that Mount Doom's volcanology isn't the natural sort. 'Lava Beam' should be read with the same literal meaning as 'Sparrow Missile'.
TCKing12: Thanks for that. Like every other Fan Fiction writer, unfortunately I'm not allowed to profit out any of my work.
Dan man: Torture? Don't you mean 'Enhanced Interrogation Techniques'?
Anonymous: It would depend on how much power Loki has when he gets the Ring. Whatever the case, I think he would make the same basic demand of Middle-earth – 'I said KNEEL!'
Chapter 43 – The Rescue of Friends and Family
The flash of light that engulfed Sauron's barrier caught the attention of all combatants within close proximity. It faded after a few short moments to reveal that the barrier was gone. Thor, Hulk and Rogers were all situated where they were before the light appeared. But there was no trace of Sauron.
Many of the Fellowship frantically began worrying that Sauron survived Thor's mystical blast before casting himself to Mount Doom. Their attention was suddenly grabbed skywards. The two Nazgul and their fell-beasts that hadn't escaped the Great Eagles suddenly exploded into brilliant bursts of light. No trace of the Nazgul and their mounts remained in the sky above the battlefield.
The plain of the Morannon began to shake before the Towers of the Teeth began to sway and totter. The Towers soon crumbled into the ground along with what remained of the Black Gate. A loud rumble from within the heart of Mordor was soon heard over the battlefield. Gandalf's voice was heard over the rumble, knowing what these events signified.
"The realm of Sauron has ended!" Gandalf loudly proclaimed. "The Ring-bearer has fulfilled his quest!"
The Ring had indeed been cast back into Mount Doom. The Tower of Barad-dur had collapsed into ruin the moment the Ring was destroyed. The Dark Tower's foundations were swallowed by a sinkhole even larger than the one Thor had created in the Udun. Mount Doom itself had released a powerful eruption of fire and ash as Sauron's power passed into oblivion. The place where the Ring had been forged was entering into its own death throes.
Back on the Morannon, all combatants witnessed a large black shadow from the south gather over them. The shadow was all that remained of Sauron's rapidly diminishing spirit. The shadow briefly took the shape of a large outstretched hand before it blown away by a mighty westerly wind. The fume the Sauron had cast over the Morannon quickly followed suit.
What was left of the Hosts of Mordor broke and fled at the sight of this. Sauron's fall drove them into an uncontrolled panic as they fled north and east away from the Army of the West. None of the Army made an effort to pursue their foes. The vast majority simply roared with triumph that they had lived to see what they thought impossible – the day the evil of Sauron was forever gone from Middle-earth. The Army's cheering numbers didn't include the Fellowship though.
Boromir desperately ran towards where Rogers lay. He quickly dropped to his knees and pulled back Rogers's mask. Aragorn and Thor joined Boromir in quick time. Rogers's eyes were closed with not a trace of movement on his face. As far as Boromir was concerned, this would be no victory if the man he'd grown to see as a brother had fallen.
"No, Steve!" Boromir both pleaded and denied in a breaking voice.
Boromir, Aragorn and Thor weren't the only ones startled by a loud noise from behind them. Rogers's eyes sprang open in response to Hulk's fearsome roar. Hulk gave a tiny sniff of satisfaction as Captain America spoke.
"I know there's no nearby shawarma joint," he groaned. "But I'm still taking the rest of the day off."
His friends gave a relieved laugh as they pulled Rogers back to his feet. Thor gave Hulk a simply nod of gratitude for the second time he'd so revived an Avenger.
"You're not the only one who believes they deserve a vacation, Steve," Boromir replied before giving him a relieved pat on the back.
"So, we won?" Rogers asked just to be sure.
Thor remembered the last time Rogers spoke such words and his reply to them.
"We're not finished yet," Thor sombrely observed before nodding towards Mordor.
Looking in the indicated direction, Rogers noticed the eruptions from Mount Doom intensifying. Merry and Pippin had tears streaming down their faces believing victory had likely cost Frodo and Sam's lives. The rest of the Fellowship shared this fear. The Avengers also hoped that, like Iron Man's journey through the portal, the Ring-bearer's wasn't necessarily a one way trip.
Thor exchanged glances with Gandalf before asking a silent question with a raised eyebrow. Gandalf simply answered with a quick nod. Thor twirled Mjolnir before taking to sky once more, rapidly flying towards Mount Doom. The Other Guy made to follow but halted upon Rogers touching his arm.
"Not this time, big guy," Rogers alluded to Hulk's rescue of Iron Man to end the Battle of New York. "The offer's appreciated." Rogers then dryly added, "But I don't know if Galadriel's boxer shorts are lava-proof."
Thor flew over the remains of the Black Gate and over the Udun before passing the ruined Isenmouthe. On his journey, Thor spotted surviving orcs and trolls fleeing for their lives. It was pointless engaging them with Sauron destroyed and the Ring-bearer needing urgent rescue.
It took Thor only a few minutes to reach Mount Doom. He could see to the east all that remained of Barad-dur. Thor descended in altitude to get a better look at the terrain around Mount Doom. He used Mjolnir to summon a wind to disperse the smoke that clouded his vision.
There!
After the Ring had been destroyed, Frodo and Sam made a rapid escape from the heart of Mount Doom. They only just avoided being swallowed by a lava stream by scrambling onto a rocky outcrop along the volcano's slopes. Their clothes were now burned and singed looking little more than ugly patches of soot. Frodo and Sam lay on their backs. While exhausted, the pair was immensely relieved also. At least they could meet death knowing they hadn't failed the Free Peoples or the rest of the Fellowship.
"It's gone," Frodo remarked about the burden he'd been carrying for the last several months. "It's done."
"Yes, Mister Frodo," Sam replied. "It's over now."
The pair closed their eyes. There was a momentary pause before Frodo remembered something Sam said to comfort him before climbing Mount Doom.
"I can see the Shire," Frodo remembered aloud. "The Brandywine River. Bag End. Gandalf's fireworks. The lights in the Party Tree."
A tear rolled down Sam's cheek as he recalled something else from the Shire.
"Rosie Cotton dancing," Sam remarked of the lass who had captured his heart. "She had ribbons in her hair. If ever I was to marry someone, it would've been her. It would've been her."
Frodo gently patted Sam's hand before graciously comforting him, "I'm glad to be with you, Samwise Gamgee, here at the end of all things."
Frodo spoke no more before lapsing into unconsciousness. Sam's eyes opened upon what sounded like a loud thunderclap. His eyes widened upon seeing who now stood before Frodo and himself.
"Mister Thor?" Sam asked in disbelief.
"Hail and well met, Master Samwise," Thor regally replied before continuing from where their last conversation left off. "I hope you didn't have to go all this way just to find Frodo."
"How did you get here?" Sam queried as Thor pulled him back on his feet.
"I'll show you soon enough," Thor said before kneeling beside a motionless Frodo. After pressing his fingers against Frodo's throat, Thor commented, "His pulse is weak. We need to get him to Gandalf."
Sam was now in complete disarray at the information he'd received over the last few moments.
"Gandalf?!" Sam exclaimed in shock. "But…he…"
"Trust me, Sam, Gandalf's alive," Thor interrupted as he tucked Frodo under the fold of his left arm. "Although his appearance may come as a surprise to you. Do you have the strength to climb on my back and hold tight?"
Sam nodded before doing so, wrapping his arms over Thor's shoulders.
"So how we going to get out of here?" Sam asked as the rocky outcrop started being consumed by the surrounding lava. "Mind you. After what I've seen on this quest, I don't think anything could surprise me."
Sam couldn't see the wide smile that burst across Thor's face in response. A startled Sam tightened his grip upon Thor rapidly taking flight. Sam's concerns about Frodo were temporarily put aside upon seeing the landscape below that Thor flew over unimaginable speeds. Sam privately recalled what he once told Frodo when they were in Ithilien.
Folk back home will believe this even less than the oliphants!
A few minutes later, Thor and his passengers landed back among the Army of the West. The Hosts of Mordor had departed the field. They received an additional incentive to hurry when Hulk began hurling the remains of the Black Gate and the Towers of the Teeth at them. Thor noticed the Army's horses had returned during his absence.
The other Fellowship member's faces lit up now that the Fellowship was whole again for the first time since Moria. Thor let Sam climb down before laying Frodo on the ground. Sam was knocked down in moments by Merry and Pippin's unrestrained hug of joy and relief. Gandalf knelt down and placed his hand on Frodo's forehead. He noticed Frodo's right index finger had been severed. The White Wizard closed his eyes and said a few quiet words.
"Frodo will live for now," Gandalf reported before gently carrying him in his arms. "But I can't fully heal him without my staff. I must take him to Minas Tirith with all haste."
Aragorn intervened after guessing what Thor was about to offer.
"Similar to the aftermath of Pelennor Fields," Aragorn began telling the Asgardian. "You Avengers are required for something other than carrying the Fellowship's wounded. I please request one last service of Hulk and yourself."
"What about me?" Rogers interrupted.
Aragorn arched an eyebrow before wryly reminding him, "I thought you were taking the rest of the day off?"
Gandalf spoke after the Fellowship shared a brief laugh.
"If you feel left out, Captain America," Gandalf mirthfully offered. "You can help me take Frodo and Sam to Minas Tirith."
"No disrespect to Shadowfax or Steve." Boromir stated before saying, "But it's still a three day ride from here."
There was a twinkle in the wizard's eye before he responded.
"Our journey will not be one traversed by land, Boromir," Gandalf answered before turning his gaze skywards.
The whole Army noticed a pair of Great Eagles coming in to land from the sky. They each came to rest atop one of the two slag hills on the Morannon's northern edge.
"Gwaihir and his brother Landroval have kindly offered to take us to the city's outskirts," Gandalf revealed with a soft smile at the thought of being carried by the majestic pair.
Aragorn outlined his request to Thor and Hulk while the Fellowship travelling to Minas Tirith made towards to their rides. Gwaihir would carry Gandalf and Frodo. Before mounting Landroval, Sam asked Rogers something on the back of Thor regaining the power of flight.
"If you don't mind me asking, Captain Rogers," Sam politely began. "I take you can't fly like Thor can?"
Rogers wryly shook his head. "Right now, I don't think want to even if I could, Sam. I can't think of anything more appropriate than Captain America flying on a giant eagle."
The Fellowship had left Lothlorien several weeks earlier travelling by boat south down the Anduin. Their four boats were ones crafted and supplied by the Galadhrim. A much larger fleet of similar boats was currently located a short distance from where the Fellowship had departed.
A force of Galadhrim warriors were readying the boats and making their own final preparations. The Galadhrim were similarly armed to those that aided in the defence of Helm's Deep. They had been joined two days earlier by a sizeable detachment of elves from the Woodland Realm located in northern Mirkwood. The Wood Elves had heavy infantry and also light archers clad in green and brown. This joint force of Elven warriors would soon cross the Great River by boat to its east bank. They would then undertake a two-day march east through Mirkwood before reaching the objective of their assault – Dol Guldur.
Dol Guldur was Sauron's stronghold in Mirkwood. Its name meant 'Hill of Sorcery' in Sindarin. It was located on the barren summit of the highest hill in the forest's south-west. Dol Guldur was where Sauron regathered his strength after his defeat at the end of the Second Age. The White Council's attention was drawn to Dol Guldur several decades before the present. The Council discovered the 'Necromancer' that occupied the fortress was no less than Sauron himself. Sauron escaped to Mordor before the Council's assault that destroyed Dol Guldur. Sauron reclaimed his Mirkwood fortress several years later. Dol Guldur had been Sauron's centre of operations in the north during the War of the Ring. The assaults launched from Dol Guldur had been directed at the neighbouring Elven realms.
Lorien had suffered three major assaults from Dol Guldur over the past fortnight. The outer forest of the Golden Wood had been ravaged but Caras Galadhon remained unscathed. Mordor's assaults would have needed to be led by Sauron himself to overcome the valour and power that protected the heart of Elvendom.
The Woodland Realm was attacked the same day that Lorien received its second assault. Led by Thranduil – their king and the father of Legolas - the Wood Elves engaged and defeated Mordor's attack after a large battle of fire and ruin under the trees. The King of the Wood Elves then sent the detachment to aid Lorien at battle's end. Thranduil personally led the detachment riding a large Elven Elk. Thranduil's mount currently stood a few paces away from a large tent guarded by two Galadhrim sentries.
Thranduil wore a suit of heavy armour and the wooden crown that always seemed to adorn his head. He was delivering a report to the other two Elves within the tent.
"Our forward scouts disembarked a few moments ago," Thranduil informed them. "Our enemies will undoubtedly try to ambush us on the march."
Celeborn and Haldir nodded their agreement. Haldir was outfitted like he was at Helm's Deep. Celeborn wore a similar suit of armour but his cloak was coloured bright silver that distinguished him as the head of this army. They were standing over a wooden table with maps of Lorien, Mirkwood and Dol Guldur spread before them.
"Unfortunately, my lords, we'll incur significant losses no matter our preparations or vigilance," Haldir uneasily observed.
"Then we have no reason to tarry any longer." Celeborn replied before ordering Haldir, "Tell the first wave of our assault to immediately begin crossing the river."
"That or any similar assault is no longer needed, milord," a familiar voice interrupted.
The three Elven lords turned their heads to see Galadriel standing just inside the flap of the tent. Galadriel was dressed in her customary garb with the addition of a Galadhrim cloak like those given to the Fellowship. Galadriel wasn't present in just a ceremonial or advisory capacity. The Lady of Golden Wood was planned to have a key role in the assault on Dol Guldur. Just as she had with the one launched by the White Council many years ago.
"We should not needlessly sacrifice any more of people's lives," Galadriel continued as she walked up to the trio.
Haldir, Celeborn and Thranduil exchanged stunned looks. Even those who knew Galadriel best still found her enigmatic on occasion.
Thranduil sought to clarify Galadriel's advice by asking her, "Is Dol Guldur no longer a threat?"
"Unfortunately not, King Thranduil." Galadriel informed before advising with intense seriousness, "The fortress is still home to a great host of orcs and spiders that threaten all in its shadow. It must be destroyed."
"How do you foresee its destruction if we are not to assault it as planned, milady?" Haldir respectfully queried.
Galadriel calmly replied, "Only one from our force is now required to attack Dol Guldur – myself."
As Galadriel expected, the Elven lords were visibly thrown by what she just said. Celeborn took both Galadriel's hands and spoke to her in the manner of an alarmed husband rather than a military commander.
"Even with your power, my love," Celeborn anxiously warned his consort of several millennia. "You would certainly be killed attacking the fortress yourself!"
A smile burst across Galadriel's face at her husband's concern.
"I apologise for upsetting you, Lord Celeborn," Galadriel softly replied. "But as wise as you are, I did not mean I would be assaulting Dol Guldur alone."
A loud thunderclap followed by many astonished voices in Sindarin was suddenly heard coming from outside the tent. Haldir immediately dashed outside to see what had caused such uncharacteristic commotion among his fellow Eldar. The answer was standing just a few yards in front of him.
"Haldir!" Thor excitedly greeted the Marchwarden. "This day's even more joyful seeing you are well!"
Thor took a few steps towards the stunned Haldir before wrapping him in a powerful hug. Haldir had been caught off-guard by Aragorn's embrace at Helm's Deep. But at least that embrace didn't squeeze the air from one's lungs like Thor's did. Haldir was saved from further discomfort when Thor noticed the Lord and Lady of Lorien had joined them. Thor released Haldir before acknowledging Lorien's rulers with a quick bow.
"Lord Celeborn, Lady Galadriel," Thor humbly greeted them. "I beg your pardon for my loud and exuberant arrival."
"The Marchwarden relayed your message to me from Helm's Deep," Galadriel advised with a twinkle in her eye. "I'm neither surprised nor offended by your arrival. But in future, Prince Thor, remember none the Eldar possess your strength."
Thor gave an awkward smile in response before raising a hand in apology to a gasping Haldir. Thor then saw an important-looking Elf standing next to Celeborn.
"Prince Thor," Celeborn said upon noticing his gaze. "I'm honoured to introduce to you King Thranduil of the Woodland Realm."
Thor's eyes widened on recognising the name.
"It is indeed an honour given how highly your son speaks of you, milord," Thor told Thranduil. "I count Legolas among the best of comrades I've ever made. You'd be proud how he's selflessly helped the Free Peoples as one of the Fellowship."
A small smile of pride broke through Thranduil's nominally restrained facade. Thranduil had not seen his son since charging him to represent the Woodland Realm at the Council of Elrond. He was privately unsettled when the delegation returned without Legolas who had volunteered to be part of the Fellowship. It wasn't because Thranduil doubted Legolas's worthiness or capabilities. It was more because it stirred memories of Legolas taking his leave after the Battle of the Five Armies. Galadriel had also told Thranduil about the Avengers when he recently arrived in Lorien.
"When the God of Thunder speaks such words, the honour is mine and my son's," Thranduil graciously replied to Thor.
With air back in his lungs, the Marchwarden tried finding out the purpose of Thor's visit.
"Why are you here, Thor, instead with your Fellowship?" Haldir queried.
Haldir had some prior warning about Thor's powers of flight. When passing on Thor's message to Galadriel, Haldir also told her of the Avenger's deeds at Helm's Deep. Haldir was slightly disappointed Galadriel wasn't at least a tiny bit surprised.
"Prince Thor's control over the elements returns to him as Mithrandir has foreseen," she dispassionately observed. "Let's hope the God of Thunder's other powers, including those of flight, will return to him when the Free Peoples most need them."
"Before journeying here I stood with the Fellowship before the Black Gate," Thor reported to all present. "We and our allies from Gondor and Rohan fought a great battle there against the Hosts of Mordor. Our valour and sacrifice allowed the Ring-bearer to complete his task."
A large crowd of Elven warriors had gathered around Thor and their four leaders. Among Thor's restored powers was full use of the Allspeak. All warriors exchanged startled looks and not-so quiet murmurs to the Asgardian's news. They lived in hope that the Dark Lord would one day be destroyed. They were still stunned nonetheless to hear this day had come.
Galadriel gave only a tiny smile of relief. She had sensed the Ring's destruction when it happened but had held her peace. One of her greatest fears for Frodo was that the quest to destroy the Ring would claim his life. From what she sensed from Thor's demeanour, this fear had not come to pass.
"At battle's end, Aragorn asked me to assist the Elven realms with their remaining struggles," Thor finally revealed his purpose.
Celeborn, Thranduil and Haldir all shot glances in Galadriel's direction. They now understood who would be accompanying the Lady of Light to Dol Guldur. Galadriel ignored their looks as she kept hers on Thor.
"Sauron's last remaining stronghold in the north needs to be destroyed by us, Odinson," Galadriel advised him as she covered her head with the hood of her cloak. "I can guide you there if you allow me to touch your mind."
Thor had no hesitation trusting Galadriel, simply giving a small nod of consent. He held Galadriel close to him in his left arm, lifting her slightly off the ground. Thor remembered the last time he held a woman in such a manner. His mind immediately heard Galadriel's telepathic voice.
I much doubt the heart and mind of Jane Foster has forgotten you.
Thor gave a gentle smile to Galadriel for her words of comfort. He was happy to hear such words from someone else besides Heimdall.
"Prince Thor," Celeborn sternly interrupted his thoughts. "Lady Galadriel is revered by all the Eldar. As well as being my consort of many years."
An understanding Thor promised, "If even a hair of the Lady's is harmed, milord, I'll offer my head in recompense."
After a quick twirl of Mjolnir, Thor and Galadriel rapidly took to the skies.
Even though Sauron had fallen, Dol Guldur was still a dark and imposing structure. It was a large castle surrounded by a circular wall some one-third mile in diameter. The castle and the wall were constructed out of large and heavy stones of black and grey. Both were also dotted with turrets containing catapults and other siege machines. The only entrance into the fortress was by a stone bridge adjoining its western face that traversed a cold river deep below.
Despite these fortifications, the thirty thousand orcs that currently garrisoned Dol Guldur were still nervous. The dark fume of Sauron's that normally covered the sky above Dol Guldur and its surrounds had disappeared more than an hour ago. The orcs were at a loss to determine the reason for this. Word had not yet reached them of Sauron's end.
The Hosts of Mordor that assaulted Lorien and the Woodland Realm had suffered great casualties from doing so. Still, they felt somewhat assured their numbers were still at least ten times what the elves could muster against them. The orcs thought their best move was to regather their strength and wait for further reinforcements to come from Mordor. Their current numbers weren't enough to assault any location containing the Lady of the Golden Wood.
A detachment of the garrison, some five thousand strong, was positioned in front of the bridge to block enemy passage from Mirkwood. Numerous giant spiders were positioned in ambush along the length forest leading up to Dol Guldur. Even the stealthiest of elves wouldn't be able to approach Dol Guldur unnoticed. Unfortunately for the garrison, it had no means to detect enemy advances from the air.
The garrison noticed the sky above Dol Guldur was suddenly becoming very dark. Their hopes began to rise that the evil power behind the fortress had returned. These hopes were immediately dashed in the face of a powerful westerly wind that roared through the forest.
The detachment guarding the bridge started to be bombarded by all sorts of debris that the wind hurled in their direction. Tree branches and rocks hit them first before giant spiders and their torn webs quickly followed. This barrage threw the detachment into disarray as well as throwing many of them down the gorge behind them to their deaths. Numerous spiders also shared this fate. Any remaining orcs and spiders outside Dol Guldur were then immediately killed by a series of powerful lightning bolts.
Thor landed with Galadriel now that the detachment outside Dol Guldur had been eliminated. Galadriel loosened herself from Thor's grip and gave him a nod to commence their planned attack on the fortress.
Thor used Mjolnir to turn the dark clouds he had summoned over Dol Guldur into a mighty tornado. The tornado began to batter the fortress ripping up its siege equipment and sucking up any orcs caught in its wake. Thor now added bursts of thunder and lightning to enhance the strength of the tornado's attack. But it was Galadriel who caused the final destruction of Dol Guldur. With Thor's attack under way, she stretched her arms out-wide and took a deep breath before unleashing her own power.
Thor snapped his head in Galadriel's direction upon hearing her singing. Thor was somewhat surprised to clearly hear her song above the noise generated by his elemental attacks. The song was in Sindarin. But Thor was more taken by Galadriel's tone. She sang in a voice that was beautiful, melodic, powerful and terrifying all at once.
Galadriel's attention was solely drawn towards Dol Guldur. Her singing was her casting an immensely powerful spell. The spell dispersed the dark sorcery contained within the fortress's very structure. Dol Guldur's stones were loosened before its gates fell to ruin; its walls opened and its pits were laid bare. Galadriel's spell claimed any orcs that had survived Thor's attacks. Before long, the whole structure of Dol Guldur collapsed into a pile of rubble upon the hill it crested.
It was in this manner that the Lady of Light and the God of Thunder lay waste to Dol Guldur and the evil within it. Sauron's power in the north was ended once and for all. The hill would soon be renamed back to its original Sindarin name of 'Amon Lanc' which meant 'Bald Hill'.
The pair ceased their attacks after the fortress had collapsed. With Thor's elemental attacks ended, Galadriel and Thor took in the sight before them with the clear view of the sun. Thor looked at Galadriel to see if she was ready to return back to Lorien.
"I suspect Lord Celeborn awaits your return most anxiously, milady," Thor hinted.
Galadriel gave a simple nod before asking, "Odinson, could you please deliver a message on my behalf upon returning to the Black Gate?"
Thor answered with a quick nod.
"Tell Mithrandir that Lord Celeborn and I shall be attending King Elessar's coronation a few weeks hence." Galadriel told him.
"Elessar?" Thor queried.
The Asgardian gave an understanding smile to the mental image Galadriel projected to him in response.
A massive host of Easterlings had invaded the Kingdom of Erebor as part of Sauron's war against the Free Peoples. Erebor was also known by another name in the Common Tongue - the Lonely Mountain.
The Lonely Mountain was located north-east in the major Middle-earth region of Rhovanion. Apart from the decades that Smaug the Terrible occupied it, the Lonely Mountain had been the major stronghold of Dwarves for more than a millennium. The mannish town of Dale was located in a vale on its southern slopes.
The Dwarves of Erebor and the Men of Dale had been close allies since the defeat of Smaug. They had valiantly tried to resist the Easterling's onslaught despite being heavily outnumbered. The Easterlings still managed to burn and ransack Dale, forcing their enemies to retreat into the Lonely Mountain.
The Easterlings subjected the Lonely Mountain to a bitter siege. The major point of struggle was a large stone gate on the mountain's southern face that was known as the 'Gate of Erebor'. Dain Ironfoot, the King of the Lonely Mountain, had fallen before the Gate a week ago. Dain died while protecting the body of his friend King Brand who ruled the Men of Dale.
The loss of their leaders was a savage blow to the Lonely Mountain's defenders. While they continued to hold out against the Easterlings, they had lost any desire to launch further sorties against them. This allowed the Easterlings to develop a series of trenches to protect themselves from the projectiles the Lonely Mountain's siege machines shot at them. The Easterlings had powerful ballistae of their own that shot heavy stones against the mountain's main entrance. The feeling among the besieged was the same. It was only a matter of time before the entrance was breached. The Easterlings would then put all the besieged combatants and non-combatants to the sword – Dwarf and Men alike. Once more, evil would control the Lonely Mountain's vast wealth.
An elderly Dwarf lord with a snow-white beard was currently pondering these outcomes. He cut a lonely figure on one of the battlements overlooking the Gates of Erebor. He wore a fine suit of plate armour and was armed with a two-handed axe. The Dwarf followed the flight path of a bolt fired from an Easterling ballista. The bolt flew over a trail of corpses of Dwarves and Men (both Easterling and Dale) before striking its target. The bolt deflected away on impact but not before adding to the numerous dents upon the gates.
The Dwarf noticed he was no longer alone on the battlement. Another Dwarf wearing similar armour to him walked up to stand beside him. This Dwarf's hair was largely grey though it had some small streaks of the dark brown it once was. He was also armed a high-quality steel mattock, a weapon fitting for his position as Supervisor of Mines in the Lonely Mountain. The Dwarf lord greeted the Supervisor by name.
"Bofur," he simply acknowledged.
"Gloin." Bofur replied in kind before asking him, "How long until the gate's breached?'
"Four days, five if we're lucky," Gloin grimly answered. "The enemy doesn't appear to know about the Back Door. But any who escape through it will be picked up by their patrols."
The pair had both fought in the Battle of the Five Armies fought before the Lonely Mountain some six decades before.
"Unlike last time, I don't think we can count on being saved by any last minute reinforcements," Bofur agreed with Gloin's grim assessment.
"I forgot to tell you," Gloin segued to maintain spirits. "I caught up with our burglar while I was in Rivendell."
"How is young Bilbo?" Bofur asked with genuine fondness.
"Like any surviving member of Thorin's company – not so young any more!" Gloin wryly replied before sharing a tiny laugh with Bofur. "He'd just finished writing a book about our adventures. He promised to send us a copy."
There was a sad pause at Gloin's words. There was someone else that Gloin was currently thinking about.
"I'm glad my lad's not here," Gloin said about his son. "I was so proud of him when he volunteered to represent our people in the Fellowship. Still, I would very much like to have heard from him one last time."
Thud
Gloin, Bofur and nearly everyone in immediate vicinity of the Lonely Mountain heard what sounded like a loud footstep from the south.
"What's that?" Bofur instinctively asked.
"I'm sure it's not a secret goblin porch being opened," Gloin reminded Bofur of what happened after asking the question on a previous occasion.
THUD
Bofur was momentarily cut off from replying by a louder echo of the previous noise. Whatever was making that noise was getting closer. The besiegers were just as confused by the noise as the besieged. Many Easterlings became distinctly worried after they felt the ground tremble beneath them the same time they heard the noise.
"It's no earthquake," Bofur commented drawing on his extensive knowledge of geology.
'"AARRRGGGHHH!"
Every combatant looked skywards after they heard the terrifying roar from above.
"Dragon!" Gloin gasped as the roar echoed throughout the Lonely Mountain and its surrounds. What other creature could make such a fearful noise from the sky?
A green blur crashed from the sky into a mass of Easterlings. Bofur and Gloin felt the battlement shake beneath them such was the power from the impact. A mass of dust and earth was thrown up into the air along with a great number of Easterlings. A substantial crater now existed within the ranks of the besiegers.
Any surviving Easterlings close to the impact crater were still trapped within a large dust cloud. They heard a roar similar to the one of a few moments ago. A tall dark figure leapt out from the crater and began scattering the confused Easterlings caught in the cloud.
Up to now, Gloin hadn't changed his assessment that a dragon had entered the field of battle. This changed when a powerful sonic boom was heard from within the dust cloud. The dust from the cloud was flung east over the ranks of more Easterlings. Revealed to Gloin and Bofur was the new entrant to the battle.
Aragorn had sent Hulk to aid in the defence of the Lonely Mountain. Hulk reached Erebor from the Black Gate in just over an hour. He made the journey by an endless series of mile long leaps across the separating terrain.
The shock wave from Hulk's clap swept over the Easterlings just as quick as the dust cloud. Those in range of the shock wave not killed dropped to their knees in pain. Many grasped their bleeding ears given their eardrums had been shattered. Hulk had only just begun shattering the Easterlings though.
The Easterlings besieging the Lonely Mountain suffered Hulk's wrath like their brethren who fought at the Morannon. Hulk relentlessly threw and kicked any he came across to all parts of the battlefield. Easterlings that tried to mount some resistance against him were quickly stepped on or crushed by a blow from Hulk's fist.
Bofur had been struggling to accept what his eyes were seeing when he noticed something even more unbelievable. A second figure had just appeared to walk out of the crater.
"Bless me Gloin!" Bofur pointed the figure out to his friend. "Is that-"
"Gimli!" Gloin finished with a mix of joy and astonishment.
Gimli volunteered to act as Hulk's guide to his home. After a nod from Aragorn, Hulk closely held Gimli in his left arm. Gimli assumed Hulk was going to run to the Lonely Mountain like he did from the Dwimorberg to Pelargir. With Hulk leaping instead, Gimli was shaken in more ways than one when Hulk set him down as soon as they'd arrived.
"Ooh," Gimli muttered to himself while trying to steady his nerves. "I think I would've preferred to have gone with Odinson."
The mention of Thor's name helped Gimli regain focus.
"Mm," Gimli pondered "I can't recall him or the Elf saying the current round of our competition had ended…"
A cold smile came across Gimli's face before he bellowed out a loud war cry. Gimli charged fearlessly at the nearest Easterlings who were still reeling from Hulk's attacks. He soon began cutting down bewildered and shocked Easterlings with his axes.
"Seventy-three, seventy-four," Gimli resumed adding to his Morannon tally. He also teased the absent Legolas with, "Who needs to keep up now, Elf?!"
The Easterlings still numbered in the tens of thousands but none made to attack Gimli. They were instead wavering in the face of the attacks launched by his angry and fearsome green companion. Before Easterlings knew it, Hulk sent their ranks into complete disarray by throwing their very own siege ballistae at them. If the Easterlings still had any doubt about clearing the field, it was gone when the Gate of Erebor swung open.
The Dwarves and Men defending the Lonely Mountain poured out to engage the Easterlings with a fearsome cry. Thorin Stonehelm and Bard, the respective heirs of Dain and Brand, led the defender's counterattack. As Aragorn hoped, seeing Gimli alongside Hulk erased any doubts the defenders had about the Avenger being their ally. The spirits of the warriors of Erebor and Dale were renewed when they started engaging any Easterlings left behind in Hulk's wake. The whole Easterling host instantly routed in the direction of their homelands.
Gimli was enjoying the taste of the victory against the forces of darkness for the second time in as many hours. He halted upon hearing a familiar voice call out to him.
"Gimli!" Gloin shouted as he and Bofur jogged towards him.
"Father!" Gimli happily acknowledged before the pair shared a heartfelt embrace. After they broke free from it, Gimli respectfully acknowledged his father's comrade, "Lord Bofur."
"Durin's Beard, son!" Gloin exclaimed before struggling to decide which he wanted to ask Gimli first. "How…who…"
Gimli got the gist of what his father was trying to say.
"Master Hulk's one of many new friends I've made on my travels with the Fellowship," Gimli proudly introduced the Avenger. "We made our way here not long after defeating Sauron outside the Black Gate."
"Hulk?" a puzzled Bofur repeated.
"Don't be fooled by appearances, Lord Bofur," Gimli informed him before nodding in Hulk's direction. "Hulk has a heart any of Durin's Folk could relate to. He's of few words, preferring to let his fighting do the talking for him."
"HULK SMASH!"
As if on cue, Hulk's battle cry was heard as he slammed his fists into the ground. Thousands of fleeing Easterlings immediately fell to the powerful earth tremor he'd just unleashed.
"Ah," Gimli guffawed at Hulk's display of power. "I couldn't have said it better myself!"
Gloin realised he and Bofur had overlooked a critical piece of Gimli's news.
"Did you say Sauron's been defeated?" Gloin anxiously asked.
"Aye, Father," Gimli happily confirmed. "Like the Fellowship set out to do when it left Rivendell, the Ring's been destroyed and the Enemy with it. And that's not all. Aragorn's to be crowned as King of Gondor just over a month hence. He told me he'd be honoured if an embassy from Erebor and Dale could attend his coronation. In fact, I've a gift in mind that would make him forever grateful…"
As Gimli outlined his gift, Hulk ceased his pursuit of the Easterlings. Aragorn had instructed him not to destroy the Easterlings once they had fled the battlefield. Aragorn hoped that, with Sauron's defeat, all the realms of Men could join together in friendship. If not, the Easterlings would believe the Lonely Mountain was now host to a creature more fearsome than Smaug ever was.
Hulk quickly made his way back to Gimli who was waiting for him. Gloin was privately disappointed that his son's return was a short one. But he understood why Gimli wanted to return to the rest of the Fellowship. Hulk again held Gimli closely to him. The Dwarf had a private suggestion for his ride before commencing their return trip to the Morannon.
"You know, Hulk," Gimli quietly began. "You should be part of the next round of our competition. Odinson should at least have to earn his victory."
The Other Guy made no response. Gloin, Bofur and the other defenders watched as Hulk leapt away with his passenger. The pair soon disappeared from sight somewhere beyond the southern horizon. A Dwarf with a short grey beard soon stood beside Gloin and Bofur.
"I'd be worried about young Gimli if I were you, Gloin," the Dwarf told him. "We knew better in our day than to go gallivanting about with trolls."
"Speak of my lad like that again and your jacksie will get a taste of Dwarvish iron, Ori," Gloin grumbled in reply.
I thought with Hulk and Thor regaining full strength, the Free Peoples could end the War of the Ring on the same day unlike in canon.
The Marvel (non-movie) Wiki entry for Thor notes he flies through Earth-like atmospheres at the speed of sound. Hulk's leaping speed is nothing to sniff at either.
My idea for Galadriel's spell came from the tale of Luthien's rescue of Beren.
Keen readers know that in the book, Ori accompanied Balin's expedition to Moria & was the dead scribe in the Chamber of Mazarbul. Seeing this story is essentially based on movieverse (which doesn't mention Ori as the Moria scribe), I thought his cameo wouldn't be too inappropriate.
[RD: I haven't changed how Galadriel destroys Dol Guldur despite her feats in the BOTFA. If only to connect this story with something from The Silmarillion.]