Chapter 16
Adrianna was searching around the encampment for the Ranger. She didn't know where Legolas or Gimli were either, but it was Aragorn she was specifically looking for. He seemed to know a lot more about her feelings towards the elf than she did herself, and she wanted someone to confide in.
The faye then spotted him leading a horse through the tents and towards the Dimholt road. She then spotted Legolas and Gimli sitting around a campfire, the latter with a smoking pipe in his hand. Quickly, she placed a hand on their shoulders and spoke low and hushed, "Come with me!" She darted away from them - causing both to become startled and concerned that something was the matter with her.
They quickly caught up with her and Legolas placed a hand on her forearm, "What troubles you?" He asked worriedly.
"Aragorn." She whispered, pointing towards the Ranger.
"And where do you think you're going?" Gimli asked gruffly, making his presence known to the man.
Before he could take another step along the road, Adrianna formed into her fairy size and cut him up, placing her hands on her hips. Aragorn smiled at the dwarf; grateful for his courage. But he was determined to go alone. "And without us?" Adrianna scolded.
"Not this time." The Ranger replied, turning to face the faye. "This time you must stay, my friends."
"Have you learnt nothing of the stubbornness of Dwarves and Fayes?" Legolas asked, his tone one of amusement.
He turned to look at the elf, leading a horse which was already saddled. Adrianna settled down on Aragorn's horses forelock, signifying that she was going with him wether or not he wanted her, at the same time Gimli stepped closer towards Aragorn. "You might as well accept it - we're going with you, laddie." The faye gave a single, defiant nod. Aragorn simply shook his head, smiling his acceptance. Of course, he should have known that his friends would want to go with him, there was no question about it!
They had slowly ridden down the narrow, cobbled road towards the back of the Plateau and past the ancient stones leading towards the Narrow Pass.
"Okay." Adrianna began, shivering uncomfortably as they rode through light, white fog. "This is frightening, I'll admit." She shivered again, darkness swarming around her. Her voice took an unwanted squeaky tone, "Something very dark resides here." The gloomy canyon ahead of them was shadowed by black fir trees. The spooky, shadowed ridges of the Dwimorberg Mountain rose before them.
"What kind of an army would linger in such a place?" Gimli asked.
"One that is cursed." Legolas replied, turning to check back on Adrianna riding upon the horse he was leading. "Long ago the Men of the Mountain swore an oath to the last King of Gondor - to come to his aid, to fight, but when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire, they fled." He explained. "Vanishing into the darkness of the mountain, and so Isildur cursed them - never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge."
Silence surrounded them; save for the muffled thuds of the horses hooves on the damp pine needles coating the ground. Adrianna noticed the lack of wind and the fact that there were no birds in the sky. Before them, at the root of the mountain, stood a sheer wall of towered rock.
Gimli spoke in a terrified whisper, "The very warmth of my blood seems stolen away."
Adrianna nodded in agreement, "I second that!" She was tempted to fly forward and hide herself away in Legolas' hood.
Within the walls, a creepy black door gaped open. Nothing could be seen but darkness. Signs and figures were engraved in the stone above the wide arch.
"The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead, and the Dead keep it." Legolas translated, "The way is shut."
Suddenly, a chill wind rushed out of the doorway, causing the horses to buck and rear in terror. Adrianna screamed as she was knocked off of the white ponies head, landing on the ground hard - unable to control herself from forming into her elleth-like size. The wind did not seize, and the Princess found herself covered in leaves and pine needles. She covered her face with her arms as the horses hooves pounded on the ground beside her.
"Brego!" Aragorn called as the horses disappeared back down the road.
Legolas knealt down beside Adrianna, "Are you hurt?" He asked, removing leaves and bracken from her body.
She shook her head, "No." She replied, "Just a little shaken." She accepted his offered hand, and allowed him to pull her onto her feet. Adrianna looked deep into his eyes, brimming with concern and smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine."
"If you two are quite done." Gimli grumbled from beside the doorway, "We were just going back."
Aragorn turned to face the doorway with steely resolve, "I do not fear death." Adrianna gasped when the Ranger disappeared into the blackness of the archway.
Legolas offered his arm towards the faye, and gave her an encouraging smile. Adrianna hated being underground as much as the elf did, and accepted his arm without hesitation. Together, they stepped into the archway and were swallowed by the darkness. She gripped tighter onto his arm, moving closer to his warm body until her right clavicle was flush with his left bicep. The evil aura swamped her, so much so that she had to breathe deeply through her mouth to be able to fill her lungs with air.
Aragorn was just up ahead, with a lit torch. Gimli was a few steps behind, grumbling about elves never outbraving dwarves in dark underground spaces.
They re-grouped before stepping through a low, dusty archway and making their way along a long, narrow winding hallway. It was silent, and Adrianna hugged herself closer towards the elf; feeling much safer and calmer from his touch where he held her around her waist.
Aragorn led them through another archway, and waved his torch through the darkness, illuminating a huge cavern filled with buildings. An underground city.
Adrianna looked around the crumbling walls. She gasped and clutched tighter onto the elf when a ghastly cracking noise, like crumbling stone cut through the silence. A green misty figure stepped through the rock walls and came to stand before the four of the Fellowship. They looked at the mummified spectre looming before them with horror! The eyeless sockets, rotten teeth and pale sickly glow of the King of the Dead turned eerily towards them. Fog began to swirl around as the ghost snarled.
"Who enters my domain?"
Aragorn stepped forwards, unflinching, "One who will have your allegiance."
"The Dead do not suffer the living to pass." He snarled. The King of the Dead looked from the man, to the dwarf, to the elf before finally the faye. "Especially those creatures...coward's, the lot of them!" Legolas tightened his hold on the faye, when he felt her frightened shivers turn to those of anger.
"You will suffer me!" Aragorn demanded.
The King's malevolent laugh echoed throughout the cave. The fog rolled back to form a retreating wall of grey vapor. Slowly, ranks of spectral warriors were revealed. Assembled around the cavern was a Dead army of many thousands of ghoulish faces, rusting weapons and tattered banners which became more visible when the fog cleared.
Aragorn stared grimly at the King of the Dead who smiled evilly back at him. The Ranger held his gaze. "The way is shut," The King began, his voice chilly and disturbing as he moved relentlessly towards Aragorn. "It was made by those who are Dead and the Dead keep it." Adrianna stepped closer towards Legolas when she felt the chilling sensation of being surrounded by the Dead army. "The way is shut. Now, you must die."
Adrianna darted to the other side of the elf when she felt a cold chill unsettle her chestnut strands, and she almost screamed when she saw that it was a Dead hand. Legolas turned around, an arrow notched into his bow as he fired at the Dead man who had touched the faye. The arrow released, but passed straight through the face of the warrior!
Aragorn continued to move forwards, his eyes locked on the spectre, "I summon you to fulfil your oath!" He spoke, desperate.
The King of the Dead snarled and raised his deadly sword above Aragorn's head, "None but the King of Gondor may command me!"
Adrianna's eyes widened as the sword came down upon Aragorn. She couldn't help but let out a scream, her hands covered her face as she turned around and buried herself into the elf's chest as the King of the Dead let out a terrifying shriek. Upon hearing a low whistle and the clang of weaponry, the faye decided to take a peek at what had happened.
Aragorn had raised Anduril, and clashed his blade against that of the King's. The sharp ring of metal reverberated throughout the caverns.
The King stared at Aragorn with disbelief, "It cannot be!" He exclaimed, fearful. "That line was broken!"
Aragorn grasped the shocked ghost by the neck before holding his sharp blade, threateningly against his throat. "It has been remade!" The King, Adrianna, Legolas and Gimli were silent. The Dead army was silent. Aragorn released his hold on the King before turned around to address the ghost army.
"Fight for us and regain your honor!" The ghostly faces stared at Aragorn, with hollow eyes, "What say you?" The Ranger yelled. He received silence as his reply.
Adrianna looked at the Dead army and the King before turning to Gimli and then Legolas. When her emerald green eyes met the ones of the elf she blushed before stepping out of his arms and diverting her gaze back to Aragorn once he shouted again, "What say you!"
"Aghh! Your wasting your time, Aragorn." Gimli huffed, "They had no honor in life, they have none now in death."
"I am Isildur's heir." Aragorn stated, "Fight for me and I will hold your oath fulfilled. What say you?"
The King smiled maliciously before disappearing into thin air, closely followed by his army and the foggy buildings and banners. The ground shook beneath their feet and Adrianna jumped slightly when something from the ceiling fell onto the ground beside her feet. She gasped upon seeing an old skull, "We have to go." She stated, "Now!"
The cavern collapsed around them, and as the four of them began to run towards an archway, more and more skulls began to fall from the ceiling. Adrenaline caused the faye to run faster than she had before, and she found herself leading the others out of the Valley of the Dead, and into sunlight and fresh air.
They caught their breaths, and as Aragorn kicked a skull back into the archway, a green fog appeared before him as the King reappeared. "Very well," He growled. "We fight."
A/N: Well shizzle my nizzle, that was intense to write! I hope you all enjoyed! Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers for your support :D And to those who have alerted and favourited the story, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart :)
Please review! xx