The hills are swarming with orcs. No, these are not orcs… They are different; bigger and stronger. What are these creatures? I've never seen the likes of them before.
Having caught up to Legolas, I find him, Gimli and Aragorn already in battle. I am quick to dash into the fray, all the while keeping an eye out for a sign of a Hobbit, or of Boromir. It worries me, not having them in my sight while danger is everywhere.
Limbs fly as my sword cuts through our enemies, but more keep coming. Once one is felled, another takes their place. It seems our enemy came well prepared.
Suddenly, the sound of a horn echoes through the trees, alerting us. "The horn of Gondor!" Legolas recognizes. "Boromir!" Aragorn realizes in alarm. He must be in trouble.
Forgetting about the enemies before us, we turn and rush towards where the sound came from, hurrying to parry Boromir's enemies.
"Much ablidged." I huff as one of the creatures behind me manages to rip the back of my outfit with its sword. It was just the quick solution I needed, though I will not let the attack go unpunished.
Setting my wings free, I whip around, cutting off the perpetrators head before taking to the sky in hopes of quickly locating Boromir. I feel like every second counts as a shadow grows in my mind, signalling a bad omen.
I catch up to Aragorn, just as he rids himself of one of the larger of these creatures. He does not look to be in perfect health himself. "Are you all right, Aragorn?" I ask, but receive no answer as he stumbles towards a body, pierced with arrows. It's Boromir. I gasp and run after Aragorn to find Boromir still alive, but just hanging on by a thread. It is only a matter of time before he passes.
"They took the little ones." is the first thing he says, much to my alarm as Aragorn shushes him while trying to find a way to save his life. The outlook is grim however and death unavoidable. Still, he can't resist the urge to try.
"Frodo…Where is Frodo?!" Boromir asks, worried. "I let him go." Aragorn whispers reluctantly after a moment, surprising me. "Then you did what I could not." Boromir replies. "I tried to take the ring from him." he confesses in a pained voice, filled with regret. "The ring is beyond our reach now." Aragorn assures him.
"Forgive me, I did not see…" Boromir pleads. "I have failed you all." Aragorn shakes his head. "No, Boromir. You fought bravely. You have kept your honor." he assures the dying man as he continues to work on Boromir's wounds. Boromir stops him from doing so however as he must feel that it's pointless.
"Leave it! It is over...the world of Men will fall and all will come to darkness and my city to ruin…Aragorn.." Boromir tells him, gripping onto Aragorn tightly, his face growing ashened. Aragorn takes hold of Boromir, his face grim, but determined. "I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you... I will not let the White City fall, nor your people fail." Aragorn vows. "Our people...our people..." Boromir corrects him, his grip faltering.
Knowing the end is near; he reaches for his sword, which lies beside him, but just out of reach. I take it and lay it on his chest, clasping his hands around the hilt. He looks up to me gratefully. "My imagination must be running off with me." he breathes, forcing a smile as he eyes my wings. "I was not expecting any angel at my death bed anymore."
I do not correct him as he turns his tired gaze back to Aragorn, struggling to hold on to the last threads of life. "I would have followed you, my brother...my captain, my King." he breathes out with his last breath, remaining unmoving from there on. I close my eyes, letting the tears fall. "Be at peace, son of Gondor." I hear Aragorn say.
Not short after, we send him off with a final farewell. Laid in a boat, his sword in his grip and the split horn at his feet, we let the river carry him away. I watch on until he disappears behind the horizon lined by the waterfall Rouros. Drift he will, beyond our sight first and pass these lands before arriving home in Gondor, only to continue to the far away seas. I cannot believe we lost him.
"Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the Eastern shore!" Legolas calls, readying the last boat, only to waver as no one makes a move to follow. I look over to see the last traces of the two hobbits disappear between the trees on the other side. A helpless feeling grows in my chest.
"You mean not to follow them..." Legolas realizes to his surprise. "Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands." Aragorn states, having adorned the leather arm armor of Boromir, carrying the emblem of the White tree of Gondor.
"Then it has all been in vain...the fellowship has failed." Gimli concludes solemnly. "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." Aragorn assures him, gathering some of his things.
"Leave all that can be spared behind... We travel light. Let's hunt some Orc." he continues, determination steady in his gaze. "Yes!" Gimli exclaims with renewed vigor, eager to go on this new mission.
"Therith." Aragorn says, making me turn to him. "Take to the sky and report what you see. We cannot lose their trail." Aragorn urges, making me nod. "But do not approach them. When we battle them, we will do so together." he urges. "All right." I respond, flapping my wings and scouring for a sign of the creatures that took Merry and Pippin.
We may not be able to do nothing for Frodo and Sam from here on, but I'm glad to be of some use elsewhere. Merry and Pippin can count on us to fight for them. These Orc-like creatures will regret it if they harm so much as a hair on their bodies, and will feel our revenge for Boromir's death.
I want to thank everyone for reading this story and for your reviews! They are much appreciated!