Author's Note: Hi guys! Sorry for the delay in updates, it's been pretty crazy for me the last couple weeks, but I'm back and ready to roll.

Chapter Five

The only upside to traveling in a canyon such as this was the weather, despite the sun beating down on us the canyon provided shade and cool air swept through the crevasses. Though the breeze provided me little comfort, it didn't ease the trouble I felt in the pit of my stomach.

"What kind of army would linger in such a place?" Gimli asked.

There was silence greeting his words, I leaned back into Legolas, his presence soothing.

"One that is cursed."

I felt my comrade's eyes on me.

"Long ago the men of the mountains swore an oath to the last King of Gondor, to come to his aid, to fight."

There was no sound but the clopping of hooves against the rock and sand.

"But when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire, they fled vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. And so Isildur cursed them, never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge." I murmured.

"Who shall call them from the grey twilight, the forgotten people? The heir of him to who the oath they swore. From the North he shall come, need shall drive him. He shall pass the door to the Paths of the Dead," Legolas finished.

We journeyed further down the canyon. Despite being against Legolas and be slightly bundled up, it was getting colder. Finally we came across an entrance into the mountain. The entrance was framed by words along the doorframe. As we approached the door, the icy air stung slightly as we approached. Aragorn and Legolas led the horses closer to the entrance by their reigns, our packs against our back.

"The very warmth of my blood seems stolen away" Gimli murmured.

I nodded. Legolas inspects the inscription along the doorframe.

"The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead…and the dead keep it. The way is shut."

A force comes out towards us in a rush, spooking the horses. A few well-placed tugs and the horses run off. Aragorn calls for the horses but they did not heed his call. I swallowed my nerves on end. My spirits in me were surprisingly silent, but there lurking. Gimli besides me looks alarmed. Aragorn takes a look at me and looked at the entrance.

"I do not fear death!"

He walks through the entrance, I quickly run after him feeling Legolas close behind me. The cool air surrounds us, heavy and thick with musty air.

I don't know how long we must have been in those eerie pathways but Aragorn managed to find and old usable torch and was now leading us with it. We came upon another hallway and the hair on my arms stood. Legolas stood looking, enthralled almost by something in front of him, Aragorn turns and looks at him curiously.

"What is it? What do you see?" Gimli asked.

"I see shapes of men and horses," He murmured.

Gimli swallowed looking nervous.

"Where?"

"Pale banners like shreds of cloud,"

Aragorn's eyes were wide with concern, we moved on…but I couldn't help but wonder…

"Spears rise like winter thickets through a shroud of mist. The dead are following. They have been summoned."

I wanted to wince, I knew it. We were being followed. I hated when I was right. As we proceeded further and further down the hall, ethereal hand writhe around us, it raised hair on my neck and gave me shiver. Behind me I heard Gimli trying to blow them away. I looked down and I swallowed hard and felt a shiver run down my spine.
"Do not look down," Aragorn says harshly.

On the floor it was coated with skulls, human skulls. Every step we made there was crunching and it made a sickening sounds. Finally we go through the hall with the skulls and thankfully the next hallway had no skulls on the floor but we emerged from this hallway into a large open space, there was a throne like feel to it. Pillars of stone rose to the ceiling, the stone steps led to a large building maybe a mausoleum or entrance hall entrance at one point.

"Who enters my domain?"

I swallowed at the scratchy eerie sound of the voice. Turning we saw the same Shadow like figure from before on the steps. He wore an ethereal crown upon his brow.

"One who will have your allegiance." Aragorn replied.

"The dead do not suffer the living to pass,"

I swallowed.

"You will suffer me!"

The King of the dead laughs menacingly, as he does an eerie specter of the building that once were appear in a ghostly visage around them. Soldiers emerge everywhere around us, they surrounded us chanting. This was what Legolas saw…this was creepy. There were no other words to describe it. I felt a cold pit in the bottom of my stomach and it churned uneasily.

"The way is shut! It was made by those who are dead. And the dead keep it!"

As the King spoke the army closed around us. I pressed my back to Legolas and Gimli covered our side.

"The way is shut! Now you must die!"

Beside me Legolas fires and arrow and it passes directly through the King and clatters uselessly to the ground. I was shaking, my animals itching to pop out and fight, had to fight it down as shifting so close to the guys would likely injure them and there was no guarantee that shifting would help. Aragorn walks towards the King of the Dead.

"I summon you to fulfil your oath!"

The King of the Dead scoffs.

"None but the King of the Gondor may command me!"

He meets Aragorn and attacks him, Aragorn parries with his sword, Anduril. The King of the Dead looks shocked and I felt the unease by the dead around us.

"It has been remade!" Aragorn bit out.

The Ranger grabbed the King by the throat and pushes him to the ground, the ghostly army looks at him, with curiosity and apprehension.

"Fight for us, and regain your honor. What say you?" Aragorn asks.

He walks among them, none move and none speak.

"What say you?" he asks again.

Gimli scoffs.

"Ach! You waste your time Aragorn. They had no honor in life, and they have none now in death."

I could feel some shame among the army, but none moved or spoke.

"I am Isildur's heir. Fight for me and I will hold your oaths fulfilled."

Aragorn points the sword at all of them, brandishing it.

"What say you?"

The King laughs and the army fades to disappear.

"You have my word! Fight and I will release you from this living death!"

The army fades completely and the feeling of dread continues to fill me.

"What say you?" Aragorn asked.

"Stand you traitors!" Gimli shouts at them.

By now there was no proof that they were even there, but their scent still lingered, death, ash, and fire surrounded them. A cracking noise could be heard, it was deafening. The walls of the building in front of us start to collapse, coming out of every crack and crevice were human skulls. The similar to the ones in the hallways before.

"OUT!" Aragorn shouts over the noise.

We began to dash towards the exit, climbing up the skulls as we try to make it. We were doing fairly well but the sheer number of them were causing us to fall with them. I nearly went with them if it wasn't for Aragorn grabbing the back of my pack and all but throwing me ahead of him.

"RUN!"

The skulls seemed never ending as they fell, but we ran and ran. Finally we emerged into the sunlight, rolling on the ground we collapsed breathing hard. Even the trip over the hills of Rohan wasn't that scary or hard. I could feel my heartbeat against my chest beating wildly. We were high in hills, we saw black corsair ships on the river and a town was burning not far behind it. I collapse to the ground staring at the sky. We were too late. I see Aragorn bowing his head in frustration. Feeling something behind me I sit up and see the King of the Dead out of the rocks where the Path of the Dead had collapsed.

"We fight!"

We followed the path down the mountain to the river. The ships were sailing on the river with mercenaries among them. Legolas had my pack on the ground beside them and I had shifted into my large Eagle Hawk Falcon form. I perched myself on Aragorn's shoulder.

"You may go no further." Aragorn calls.

The ships boson stand up in response.

"You will not enter Gondor." Aragorn said again.

The boson laughs.

"Who are you to deny us passage?"

Aragorn speaks but does not take his eyes away from the Boson.

"Legolas, fire a warning shot past the Boson's ear."

Gimli looked strangely mischevious.

"Mind your aim."

Legolas fits and arrow and takes aim, just as he releases Gimli deliberately knocks the bottom of the bow, sending the arrow off track. The arrow kills the mercenary who stands beside the Boson. I shook lightly, in laughter. Legolas glares at the red haired dwarf. Aragorn looks across at Legolas with and eyebrow raised.

"Oh!" Gimli puts a hand to his mouth and shrugs. "That's it, right, we warned you! Prepare to be boarded!"

The mercenaries laugh.

"Boarded, by you and whose army?"

Aragorn had a glint in his eye.

"This army."

The King of the Dead and his army emerge through and attack the ships, I let out a large screech and join the attacking party! It was good to be free again. I had hope in my heart for the first time in a long time for this journey.