The sound of the wall exploding open left my ears ringing. I heard nothing of people shouting, or swords clashing, only a constant whine in my head as my ears tried to restore hearing. My vision was blurry, from a combination of being tossed down a flight of stairs and rainwater now falling into my eyes, as I lay on my back.
"Gideon!" I thought I heard my name but it sounded like a whisper lost in all the ringing. "Where is he?"
I felt around for something, finding the wall nearby and propped myself up, swiping rain out of my eyes and finally remembering to breathe. What had happened? I glanced beside me and saw a hand, pale, most likely elven, laying lifelessly on the ground, and dared not look further, avoiding the face of fallen archer.
My hearing finally returned to me, and the air was filled with shouts again. Water was spreading everywhere, and orcs were already crossing the threshold, making their way over the debris. I did not wish to be here when many were storming through. I raised my self on somewhat shaky legs and followed the wall quickly, heading back to the staircase I had been flung from. With each step my head became gradually clearer. I saw men fighting but my friends faces were not among them. A dreadful thought occurred. Had they been standing where the wall was broken? Surely some soldiers must have been there when it happened…had they been some of the unfortunate men?
"Aragorn?!" I called out, raising my sword again. "Gimli?! Legolas?!"
I saw a flash of pale hair near me, and ran to the figure, expecting Legolas. "Legol-" The name was cut short when the figure turned and I saw Haldir instead of my companion. "Oh."
"Watch out." Haldir pushed me aside, and cut down an orc that had been charging in our direction. Many of them had abandoned the use of the ladders now that there was a large hole in the wall.
"Have you seen Aragorn, or any of the others?" I asked, raising my sword and striking against the back of another orc.
Below us, someone gave the order to charge. I ceased fighting for a brief moment and saw who it was. Aragorn, I breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of him. He looked like he had been thrown against the ground, but he was still standing. I watched as the two armies collided, another great mess of swords, arrows and fighting. Something alive and rather disheveled was all but drowning in a pool of water near the gap. Aragorn splashed his way to the creature and fished it out. It was only then that I could see that it was no animal at all, but rather Gimli, drenched from head to toe.
"Up here!" I shouted at them, waving an arm. I had to let them know I was also alive, and ask if they had seen the elf anywhere.
Aragorn looked up the broken wall to see me close to its edge. His eyes widened. "Gideon, get back!"
"Is Legolas down there?" I demanded.
"Behind you!"
I was hit roughly over the shoulder, by the hilt of a blade. The force of the blow threatened to send me over the edge of the wall, but I collapsed down to ground to avoid the deadly fall. I saw no face, only a helmet, with misty breath escaping from it. I realised the grasp on my sword had not given out and arched the blade high, aiming for the neck. In the middle of the swing, which I was sure would have ended him, I was kicked in the stomach. I lost all breath and my blade missed its mark terribly.
The orc drew back it's sword, a clear path being presented for him to stab at my side. If the pain in my stomach was no longer coiling up my insides, I might have drawn in a tight breath. As it was, I hoped my chainmail I was wearing under my tunic was enough to stop the blade from being fatal.
But instead of striking, the creature seemed convulse, and then crumble at its knees. Haldir's face appeared again, over the shoulder of the orc. He had stabbed the creature from behind, saving my life for the second time. The orc was flung from the wall, landing with a splash in the pool of water.
"Stand." Haldir reached out to help me up. I grabbed at his arm with my free hand, the one holding my sword also being used to hold my stomach, as though I was holding my guts in. It certainly felt like I was. The orc had been far from merciful. "Breathe." Haldir reminded me.
Drawing in breath hurt, but I tried, and it grew easier by degrees. I'd lost sight of Aragorn and Gimli below us, lost somewhere in the fray, and had yet to see Legolas since the wall exploded. "You can straighten yourself up, can't you?" Haldir urged me.
Straighten up? The one thing making this easier was bending slightly over and compressing firmly on my stomach.
Now was not the time for rest though. Things had just gotten worse, and standing defenseless up here was far from helpful. I knew I had to fight again, and very quickly. I breathed, deep and slow, straightening a little.
Ignore it, Gideon. I imagined Fali saying something of that sort. We've no time, and there's no safe place to sleep it off. Ignore it. Pretend it isn't there.
I saw a boy, no older than thirteen, running along the causeway, and then disappearing inbetween the other soldiers. What was he doing here? I imagined Fali running with him, guarding him, keeping him under her wing. I imagined him sitting by Eowyn, by his mother and any younger siblings, in the caves where he should be.
It was a good enough reminder that I was still needed, and I straightened up entirely. "Go on." I said to Haldir. "Fight with the others. I'm going to search for Legolas."
He nodded. "Good, remember to strike hard." He replied. "Keep watch over your sides. Be careful." I took off down the causeway. Please, I thought. Let that elf be still alive. I hadn't seen him since the battle started, and had lost track of all time. How long had been separated? An hour or two? Even longer?
By now everyone was starting to look the same. Muddied clothes, and swirling metal, and fast movements. I was beginning to discern people on their most basic features and what type of weapon they wielded. A sword…a man. A bow….an elf. Brown hair, not pale, couldn't be Legolas. A crude helmet…an orc, cut it down. How many was that now? I couldn't recall my score from before I fell. Nine? Yes nine, or rather ten now. Another orc, with a distinct limp now. That made eleven. Another one, who just happened to be in the way. Twelve. Another and another, on and on, men, elves, orcs…
"Gideon!"
The voice and pale hair were enough to tell me that Legolas had spoken, and was still very much alive. "Legolas." I finally made my way to him. "Thank Mahal, I was beginning to think I wouldn't find you here."
"Have you seen Aragorn? And Gimli?"
"Yes, both of them." I nodded, shouting above the noise coming from the fight below us. "They're down by the break in the wall. Aragorn's leading the charge."
The elf made for the stairs immediately. "Wait!" I called after him. "Careful, they're coming up the stairwells now!" The elf paid little attention, stepping onto a fallen shield and sliding down the stairs on it, firing a few arrows in the process.
"That's a bit of a boastful display, isn't it?" I asked. He had just killed three of our enemy, made it safely down the stairs, and not lost his balance in the process. I frowned to myself…when had I turned into Gimli? I heard a snarl and swung on instinct, continuing to fight again.
"Fall back! Get to the Keep!" The order was echoed three times by various captains, Aragorn among them. The swarm of Uruks was too much for us to handle in the open. We'd need the safety of another wall. Men and Elves ran past me, following orders. My shorter height made it feel like I was almost being trampled in the rush to get to safety. I fought against the swarm, scanning the people below for my friends. I caught sight of Gimli, who was being dragged forcibly away. The sight of him, grumpy and with his feet hanging uselessly in the air, made me want to laugh.
"Fall back!" I heard the order from Haldir. He narrowed his eyes at me seriously. "Go, young master."
"Haldir, come." I called to him.
"I will follow when my men have left." He replied. "Go now."
I was practically being pulled along by the people streaming past me, and found myself flying back down the stairs. Behind me, I heard a groan of pain. No…I had seen him but a moment ago, it could not be…
I turned to find Haldir, meeting his face, just as he received a second attack from behind. There was blood staining his armor at the side.
"Haldir!" I shouted, and ran back up the stairs.
What happened next was something I only half remembered. Somehow my score made it to seventeen, and then, if I am not mistaken eighteen as well. I remember looking down at the sea of Uruks below, and see one body in particular that lay crumpled in the dirt, before the space it occupied dwindled and his 'fellow men' proceeded to step over him like a rock.
I looked back at Haldir, hoping to save the elf who had saved me twice.
Aragorn met my face instead. I had not seen or heard him coming, but there was a path of dead Uruks near the stairs, and in his arms Haldir's body was heavy and limp. He had died.
I thought back to Boromir, how I had watched him die as well. This time I found I was able to look into the lifeless eyes. It was a horrible feeling to look at them, but I found I was able to do it this time. Perhaps I had become accustomed to it, after all I had been through.
Aragorn laid the body of Haldir down. As our army fell back, orcs were swarming inside, and starting to find their way around to the causeway. "They're coming, raise your sword." Aragorn said. "Remember what you've learned, it's kept you safe thus far." He raised his own sword, the once broken heirloom, Anduril. It was then I knew he was about to do something many would consider very brave…and maybe a little foolish.
Indeed, he lived up to the look he had in his eyes, jumping onto one of the ladders and then leaping into the crowd below. "Aragorn!" I yelled after him. That's it, I thought. He's gone completely mad. He's as good as dead down there. Should I…help him? Jump down myself? There were still ladders up here. I looked all the way down. Was I completely mad as well?
No, to enter a crowd like that was beyond my skill. Aragorn would not wish me to be foolish. I retreated, hoping he'd have the sense to quickly do the same, coming through the gap in the wall. The stairs were crowded with orcs, but it worked in my favor to be short. A decent shove, and a sharp jab to the side, and I was able to get past them, running straight for the keep.
"I would run faster, Master Gideon." Aragorn called from behind me. I did not bother looking back to check on him, only running faster as he had said to.
Inside the walls it felt safer, if only by a meager degree. The solid stone separating us was comforting, but the constant ramming that could be heard at the gate made me jump each time. An especially loud bang! made me jolt visibly.
"To the gate! Draw swords!" I looked up to see Theoden walking at a brisk pace to the nearly shattered doorway.
"Come, Gideon, quickly now." Aragorn urged me and we dashed to the gate.
When I say the condition the gate was in, my chest went tight with a sort of nauseating realisation. They were breaking through. The gate was practically shattered, with pieces already tore away. Soon all the bolts and beams would give way and the gate would burst open, unleashing…I did not want to think about what would happen next.
Theoden looked to Aragorn. "Hold them back." He said.
"How long do you need?" Aragorn immediately agreed.
"As long as you can give me."
"Gimli!" Aragorn called to the dwarf, who emerged from the crowd bracing the gate.
"I'm coming with you." I said, not thinking about the decision at all, following my friends on instinct.
"No, you are not." Aragorn shook his head.
"But-"
"You have shown much promise over the night." Aragorn said. "But I do not trust you yet to hold your own so few against so many."
"You'll need all the help you can get." I argued.
"You think we'll need help?" Gimli scoffed, a bit jokingly. "Nonsense. This is all the help I need." And he held his axe a little higher.
"Please." I resorted to manners.
"No. Not this fight." Aragorn's word was final. "Go up onto the wall. Be prepared for whatever comes next."
"Aye, the pointy-ear is up there." Gimli agreed.
"I do not need someone looking out for me all the time." I said back, perhaps a little harshly. I could already see Fali raising an eyebrow at my remark. But I had fought well enough on my own before the wall had been broken, and found some truth in my words.
Gimli's face showed just how little he cared for being at snapped at, but Aragorn remained patient. "No, I don't believe you do." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "But my order still stands…go up to the top of the wall. Fight there."
They left, giving me one last look and vanishing down a little corridor to sneak outside and to the front of the gate.
"You could stay down here, and help to brace the gate if you choose." Theoden offered, as he began adding to the mess of broken spears, extra beams and other heavy objects being shored up against the doorway.
"No." I shook my head, stepping backwards from the gate. "I'll do as he said. I'm sorry."
"Go on." Theoden waved his hand, dismissing me. "We'll manage, young one."
The top of the wall was just as hectic. Rocks, bricks, spears and arrows were all being hurled down, some hitting their targets, others bouncing off shields. I elbowed my way to the edge, so I could look over, hoping to see Aragorn and Gimli. If I couldn't fight beside them, I was going to watch over them, and…I don't know, throw a rock if one of the Uruks got too close.
Gimli leapt out of no one, crossing a great distance. I was quite surprised. Given the size of the gap he needed to cross…how on earth had he jumped that far without a running start? I smirked. Perhaps he had been thrown across. Aragorn followed, and I watched as they pushed the Uruks back from the gate, many falling over the edge of the narrow bridge.
Legolas found me a few minutes later, his quiver now freshly stocked with arrows. "He's catching up to you." I spoke of Gimli.
I could have sworn the elf frowned at the news.
"Ladders!" Someone shouted, and another row of the horrid things began rising.
"Not more of those." I muttered, stepping back and raising my sword again.
Legolas took an arrow, aimed and fired, hitting the chain for one of the ladders. The structure in question halted it's rise, swayed, and then crashed back down.
"That should even the score." I thought I heard beside me. I glanced up beside me, to see his eyes surveying the damage. Was he…was he counting how many that was?
"We've all gone mad." I sighed. "And I should have trained in archery."
Moments later Aragorn waved his arm at us. I stared at the movement for a second before shouting. "They need help! They have to get out of there now!"
I found rope (by tripping over it in my haste), and passed it along to Legolas. The elf tossed it over the edge of the wall, and our friends below grabbed hold. Soon we were all pulling them up. I watched as a few arrows were fired at them, but smashed against the wall. "Can they not hold back for just a moment?" I mumbled to myself. I was hoping we'd soon see Aragorn and Gimli's faces pop up from over the edge of the wall, and see that they had no arrows stuck in them.
They did, and Legolas grabbed them by the shoulder of their tunics and pulled them over safely…
…just in time for us to retreat even farther into the Keep.
It was sad to see that most of the work had been for nothing as soon as the ladders were up. Now they had a way in, gate or no gate.
A blur of activity took over my mind, which narrowed strictly to survival. Run, keep your sword up, swing, close the door, bolt the door, and proceed to find as many heavy things as you could and put them in front of the door, because this was it, the very last door, and there was nowhere else to retreat to. Well, perhaps the caves, but all that would lead to would be a race for survival.
"Glad to see we're all together again." I joked, lightly, placing a beam against the door in question.
"Is the elf outscoring me?" Gimli asked.
"Is that all you really care about?" I asked.
"Is there no other way out of the caves for the women and children?" Aragorn asked Theoden, who looked like he had lost all hope.
The men were silent, and Aragorn had to repeat himself. Gamling admitted there was a passage, but they would not make it far.
"Eowyn will ensure they do." I spoke up, as grabbed hold of a splinter spear and tried to fit it into the blockade.
The order was given by Aragorn to tell the women to start making there way to the mountains, and blockade the entrance to the caves. I briefly wondered if we'd run out of beams and benches to put in front of doors. The terrible thought that we were blocking the one way we had out of here with that order occurred to me. I worked even faster on the blockade in front of me.
"So much death…what can men do against such reckless hate?" Theoden asked.
"Ride out with me."
"Are you suggesting we saddle the horses?" I asked, surprised.
"Let us ride out and meet them." Aragorn repeated, telling me he actually was suggesting we saddle the horses.
"For death and glory?" Theoden asked.
"For Rohan. For it's people."
"You are the horselords, are you not?" Gimli asked. "Look…the sun is rising."
On the fifth day, at dawn…look to the east…
"Gandalf…" I said. "He'll be returning."
"Yes." Theoden stood taller. "The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep, one last time."
"Yes!" Gimli cheered. "Allow me!"
"Gimli, wait!" I called after him.
"Let this be the hour we draw swords together." Theoden beamed at Aragorn. Aragorn turned it me then.
"Will we be drawing swords together as well?" I asked. "Or will you have me chasing after Gimli?"
Aragorn relented. "You will ride with us, Gideon."
A red dawn followed, as I sat on the back of a horse, behind Aragorn. The horn bellowed, Theoden shouted for glory and for freedom, and there was the pounding of hooves, on ground and on stone floors. We met our enemy at the gate, and they met their ends at our swords. When we had broken free of the fray I glanced around eagerly. "Can you see him? Do you see the wizard anywhere?"
"Yes." Aragorn said, and pointed to the east. Gandalf was on Shadowfax, and an army of horses and riders materialized behind him.
They swept down the hill like a wave from the sea. Just before they reached their mark, the sun rose over the edge of the earth, and I had never seen anything so bright after the dark of this night. It was then that I knew all would be well. We had lasted the night. Our enemy was retreating as the horsemen returned to us. Finally…
We chased our enemy back to the forest, where they hide, and we dared not follow. Upon return, my head was heavy with fatigue. I stumbled my way to the caves.
"He was already dead!"
"He was twitching."
"He was twitching because he's got my axe embedded in his nervous system!" Gimli groused, shaking his axe, and causing the body of an orc to twitch violently. "Gideon!"
"Yes, Gimli?"
"Tell the elf he's lost his mind." Gimli requested of me. "I've never seen such blatant cheating in my life."
"Are you two at a draw?" I asked.
"No, I clearly won." Gimli crossed his arms. "Forty-three to forty-two."
I looked at the dwarf, the elf, and the dead orc with an axe and an arrow in it.
Perhaps it was because I was so tired, or maybe it was because I was happy I had lived. Maybe I had gone completely mad.
"I don't know Gimli…" I couldn't hide a smirk. "Generally, if it twitches, it isn't dead enough."