Théoden, Gandalf and Rash had taken the children inside the Golden Hall. Where they got food to eat, and their enregy was soon back again to them. The girl asked with sorrow, where her mother was but she got no reply from her brother who knew what had happend to their mother.

They where hungry and had fleed from their home, which was bruned down by the Orcs by Sarumans command. Èowyn sat down by the children and taked care of them, she caressed the young girls shoulder.

"They had no warning. They were unarmed. Now the Wildmen are moving through westfold, burning down lives where they go every rick, cot and tree." Èowyn said looking at her uncle and the Wizard.

Gandalf stood next to Théoden who walked to his kingly chair and taked his seat next to the wizard "This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash. All the more potent for he is driven mad by the fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight."

Aragorn looks at the king, from sitting down by the table where Valerie, Legolas and Gimli also were sittng. "You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak. Èomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king."

"They will be three hundred leagues from here by now! Èomer cannot help us. I know what is that you want of me. But I would not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war." Théoden said.

"Open war is upon you, whether would risk it or not." Aragorn pointed out the truth, but Théoden didn't like to hear it. He walks up to Aragorn. Stearing down at him.

"When last I looked Théoden, not Aragorn was king of Rohan." Gimli then burped laudly and their eyes lend on the dwarf.

"Then what is the king's decision?" Gandalf asked from behind.

Outside people’re gathering together outside of the Golden Hall. "By order of the King, the city must empty. We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep. Do not burden yourself with treasures. Take only what provisions you need." Háma had spoken to the people. The Fellowship was lead to the stables and given their horses.

Aragorn walked next to Gandalf, "He is only doing what he thinks is best for his people. Helm's Deep has saved them in the past." Gandalf stops and held his staff steady in one hand. "There is no way out than that of ravine. Théoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he is leading them to safety, but what he'll get is a massacre. Théoden has a strong hold but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan. He will need you before the end, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defenses have to hold."

”They will hold." Aragorn nods to the white wizard. Gandalf then turns around and walked to Shadowfax. "The Grey Pilgrim. That is what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of men I've walked this earth and now, I have no time." He looked at Rash, Valerie, Legolas and Gimli. ”Good luck. My search will not be in vain. Look to my coming, at first light, on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East." The wizard jumps up on the horseback, ”Go.” Aragorn said as Shadowfax sprints out of the stable.

In the stables one of the horses rears. Two men tried to held him down with ropes try to control him. Valerie approaches the men and horse, ”The horse is half mad! There’s nothing you can do. Leave him.” The men eyed the girl who give them a sharp look. ”I can tell the two of you are mad, men who had only seen animals as slaves.” Valerie said, and takes the rope away from the two, they watched with wide eyes as Valerie takes care of the horse. ”Shh, it’s alright.” She spoke with a quite and calm voice, the horse soon was calmed by meeting her eyes, and she the eyes by an intelligent animal.

Valerie stroked the back of her hand longside of the bridge of his nose and smiled. After all she had grown up with horses, and she knew those animals to heart and how to respect them, as they respect you. She stroked it’s mane and rest her forhead to the nose brigde. The horse was much more calm by her presence. Then by the two men who stressed him.

Aragorn walks up to to Éowyn, who looked with suprise as Valerie had camly spoke and stood by the horse side, with just a single word and touch the horse was calm again. Éowyn saw the girl was known to those animals, she appreciate to meet people who cared for the animals.

Aragorn looked at Éowyn, and asked ”What is his name?” The golden blonde female gived Aragorn a slight smile. "His name is Brego. He was my cousin's horse." She breathed. "I have never seen someone before so close to him, but my cousin." She smiled, Aragorn looked a little suprised, but he smiled. ”His name is kingly.” Éowyn smiled to him and nods.

Valerie stood with Brego and kept him calm, she could see in the eyes of this horse that he had seen enough of war already.

"The Black Gate of Mordor." Gollum whispered to his fellow Hobbits. The three of them crept up next to a large rock that covered their visibility. The gates stretched wide & tall, with imposing design that had you know that it was built on the orders of Sauron. "Oh, save us. My old Gaffer would have a thing or two to say if he could see us now." Sam said, with an audibly nervous voice. "Master says to show him the way into Mordor. So good Smeagol does, master says so." Gollum said as he looked at Frodo with a satisfied smile. Frodo nodded in return, realizing that Gollum had kept his word. "I did." He said shortly.

The Black Gate was not barren. It was under the watchful eye of a superior orc commander that kept a lookout at all times. There were also other orcs with different purposes. There were archers, armored orcs & even trolls. The trolls were the key to opening & closing the gates, as they were pulling gigantic levers that worked together with even more gigantic gears.

Outside the gates, to the right of were the hobbits & Gollum lied in cover, an army of easterlings started approaching. They were marching in a military fashion & a foreman was yelling different orders to the army. As the easterlings marched towards the Black Gates, a horn was blown on the top of the gates.

The gears were put in motion & slowly, the gates started to open. "Look! The gate. It's opening! I can see a way down." Sam said hastily, about to push himself off the rock that they were supporting themselves on. As he did, the ground beneath the boulder gave way & Sam flew headfirst down the rocky slopes. Two easterlings noticed the movement of rocks to their left, and walked out of their marching. With spears at the ready, they approached the small pit that Sam was lying in. Not yet had they seen him.

Frodo however, was quick to act. He had darted down the stones when Sam was still falling. And before the easterlings could spot them, he pulled his gray cloak over himself & Sam, trying to blend in with the gray pebbles & rocks.

The easterlings stopped just a few feet from the hobbits, looking around. The disguise had worked perfectly, completely blending the hobbits in with the surroundings. They were also in luck, since the plate helmets upon the easterlings heads covered their vision. They then turned around & walked back to the march. The easterling army marched through the opening of the gates, and just when they had all disappeared behind the entrance, Frodo took his chance.

"I do not ask you to come with me, Sam." He said to his friend, looking at him with asking eyes. "I know, Mr. Frodo. I doubt even these Elvish cloaks will hide us in there." Sam responded. Frodo smiled, then turned his face to the gates again. "Now!" Frodo said. He threw off his cloak & was about to dart to the entrance before it closed.

Gollum however, jumped at Frodo & held him back. At first, Frodo thought he was being attacked by Gollum & tried to fight him. But then, Gollum stroked Frodo's shoulders, calming him down.

"No! No! No, master! They catch you! They catch you! Don't take it to him. He wants the precious. Always he is looking for it. And the precious is wanting to go back to him. But we mustn't let him have it." Frodo stopped struggling abit, Sam too stopped to listen. "There's another way. More secret. A dark way." Gollum said, looking at both hobbits as he nodded.

But Sam was not convinced. "Why haven't you spoken of this before?" He shouted to Gollum, now angry that they had listened to him at all. "Because Master did not ask!" Gollum tried to plead innocently. "He's up to something." Sam said, looking at Frodo.

"Are you saying there's another way into Mordor?" Frodo asked Gollum calmly. "Yes. There's a path and some stairs. And then a tunnel." Gollum affirmed the hobbits. The three turn their eyes to the gates as they were now closing. Slowly, the gates rumbled & the ground vibrated from the sound & weight. "He's led us this far, Sam." Frodo said, as he looked at his friend. "Frodo, no." Sam asked him, pleading with his eyes not to trust Gollum. "He's been true to his word." Frodo said with strong words that did not falter. Sam looked into the ground & didn't respond, as he accepted that Frodo wouldn't change his mind. "Lead the way, Smeagol." Frodo said as he nodded to Gollum. "Good Smeagol always helps." Gollum responded as he grinned happily & started to walk on his fours, upward the slopes again.

Sam looked on in disbelief, as he followed Frodo & Gollum.

Gríma had made it back up to Isengard to his master, inside Orthanc where Saruman listens.

"Gandalf the White. Gandalf the fool! Does he seek to humble me with his newfound piety?" Saurman spoke aloud, his back turned agains the snake-man. "There were three who followed the wizard. An Elf, a Dwarf and a Man." Gríma said and looked up at his master.

"The man, was he from Gondor?" Saruman wanted to know more about Aragorn, who he was. Gríma shook his head, "No, from the North. One of the Dúnedain Rangers I thought he was. His cloth was spoor. And yet he bore a strange ring. Two serpents with emerald eyes. One devouring, the other crowned with golden flowers." Saruman flips through a book to an illustration of this ring.

"The Ring of Barahir. So Gandalf Greyhame thinks he's found Isildur's heir, the lost King of Gondor. He is a fool. The line was broken years ago." He snaps the book shut, "It matters not. The world of Men shall fall. It will begin at Edoras."

Refugees begin streaming out of Edoras. Inside Théoden's chamber, the king prepares to leave. "I am ready, Gamling. Bring my horse."Théoden spoke as Gamling turns to leave, but is stopped by Théoden who spoke again "This is not a defeat. We will return." Gamling now leaves the chamber, leaving the king to himself. "We will return."

Inside the hall, Èowyn opens a chest and takes out a sword. She are practecing with it and swings around. Aragorn blocks her swing from behind. "You have some skill with a blade." Éowyn was froze with her sword from Aragorn’s. He lowers his blade in respect, and she too. "Women of this country learned long ago that those without swords may still die upon them. I fear neither death nor pain."

She placed the sword back where she found it. "What do you fear my lady?" Aragorn asked her, she looked at him, "A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them. And all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire." Éowyn said, "You are a daughter of kings. A shieldmaiden of Rohan. I do not think that will be your fate." Was Aragorn’s response, she then slightly smiled to his words, and also felt something strange build up in her chest.

The people of Rohan are heading towards Helm's Deep, Théoden turns and takes one last look at Edoras. At Isengard, Gríma still talks with Saruman. "Théoden will not stay at Edoras. It is vulnerable, he knows this. He will expect an attack on the city. They will flee to Helm's Deep, the great fortress of Rohan. It is a dangerous road, take through the mountains. It will be slow.”

He puased. ”They will have women and children with them." Saruman walks through the depths of Isengard.

"Send out your Warg riders." An Orc captain smiles menacingly. Shadows from wild beasts are shown behind him.

The villagers head towards Helm's Deep, the fellowship was with them.

"It's true you don't see many dwarf women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, they are often mistaken for dwarf men." Gimli said to Valerie, Legolas and Rash. Who was walking next to him, leading their horses by the reins.

"I never got the chance to meet Thorin's sister. She's still alive?" Valerie was curious to know. The dwarf nods and knew well that the daughter of Thráin, wanted to someday meet the daughter of the moon.

"Balin told her everything about you. Yes, she is alive.. but she is old." Gimli smiled under his beard and looked at Valerie. "She wanted to see the girl, which her son and brother both held strong feelings for." Gimli looked at Valerie again, and she give him a slight smile. Then she pulled out the green runestone from her pocket and showed it to Gimli. Maybe he would remeber it.

"Oh, the token." He chuckled and held the stone in his hand, remembering the tail behind it. "This belonged to Dís, before she gived it to Kili of course when he left with his older brother." Gimli smiled, he looked at the rune. He was at a young age when the company left the blue mountains. But he remembered very well, as when his father Gloín and the others had said their goodbyes and left with the compnay.

"Kili wanted me to have it. It's more than just a token, it's a memory. The same with this necklace, which Thorin gived me." The dwarf handled back the runestone to Valerie, and she placed it back in her pocket again.

"The eye of the mountain." Gimli knew about the symbol of the charm it's a kingly gift, he thought. The blue stone in the middle, was called the eye and would protect the person who holds it, like a token. However Valerie wears it because it's the only thing she have left from him. So with the runsetone, which she always keeps close to her.

"Even if they are not here. They are always watching over you." Gimli said. Valerie then smiled to her friend, and placed her hand on the dwarf shoulder.

Èowyn was by Aragorns side and glances up at him, she didn't understand what was so much alike the dwarf men from female's. "It's the beards." Aragorn said to her and stroked his chin. "And this in turn has given rise to the belief that there are no dwarf women. And the dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground!" Gimli spoke aloud to them, with a chuckle.

The fellowship then laughs together. "Which is of course ridiculous."
"Woah!" Gimli suddenly falls off from his horse, but got help from falling by Rash who supported him with a hand on the dwarf's back. "It's all right! It's all right. Nobody panic. That was deliberate. It was deliberate." Gimli said with a relive.

Théoden had rided up to Aragorn who jumped on his horseback. "I have not seen my niece smile in a long time. She was a girl when they brought her father back dead. Cut down by Orcs." He paused.

"She watched her mother succumb to grief. And she was left alone to tend her king in growing fear. Doomed to wait upon an old man who should have loved her as a father." Aragorn and Èowyn locked their eyes for a moment, look at each other.

The refugees have camped and eat together. Legolas, Gimli, Valerie and Rash sat together and ate the serverd food. Èowyn carries a pot of stew as she approaches Aragorn.

"I made some stew. It isn't much, but it's hot." She gives him a bowl and spoon. ”Thank you.” Aragorn looked up at her from sitting down on a rock, he tastes it and looks up at her trying not to grimace. He nods. "Mmm. It's good."

"Really?" She asked as her cheeks flush red. Èowyn then begins to walk away, as she did Aragorn turns to pour out the stew, but Èowyn turns around that moment. He recovers but spilled some on his hand. "My Uncle told me a strange thing. He said that you rode to war with Thengel, my grandfather. But he must be mistaken." She said, and taked a seat next to him. "King Théoden has a good memory. He was only a small child at the time."

"Then you must be at least sixty. Seventy? But you can’t be eighty." She looked at him with a rising brow. "Eighty-seven." He corrected her with a smirk, she blushed and looked down slightly.

"You are one of the Dúnedain. A descendant of Númenor, blessed with long life. It was said that your race had passed into legend." She spoke. "There are few of us left. The Northern Kingdom was destroyed long ago." Aragorn told her, she looked at him for a long moment, then over to the Fellowship. Who she had started to like more with each day that passed by. She had figured out that the girl, with the fierce eyes in the company, was something else than just a human girl.

"Is Valerie related to you?” Éowyn asked, her eyes lend on Valerie from the distance, she was together with Rash, Legolas and Gimli.

Aragorn shook his head, "No, she is not. But older then me she is." He said and Éowyn looked suprised. "How can we not know about her kin?" She asked with wonder. "All we know is that she are the only one left of her kind." Aragorn spoke and looked at the Fellowship, and Éowyn understood.

Gollum is trying to catch a fish in the river. He slips and falls, grasping at a slippery fish as he goes. Frodo and Sam follow behind. "Hey Stinker! Don’t go getting too far ahead!" Sam shouted after Gollum, whom didn't seem to notice Sam at all. "Why do you do that?" Frodo asked Sam, obviously concerned. Sam looked at Frodo as he laid his head on the side. "What?" He asked. "Call him names, run him down all the time?"

Sam gave Frodo a look as if he thought for a moment that his ringbearing friend was stupid. "Because… because that's what he is, Mr. Frodo. There's naught left in 'im but lies and deceit. It's the Ring he wants. It's all he cares about." He said, explaining something that he thought Frodo would know was self-explanatory.

Frodo glared back at Sam as he became upset by his reply. "You have no idea what it did to him. What it’s still doing to him." He walks past Sam and stops. "I want to help him, Sam." Frodo finished, now looking at Gollum in the distance. His voice then grew softer. "Why?" Sam asked in a pleading voice, as if asking Frodo to stop being an idiot. "Because i have to believe he can come back." Frodo answered. "You can't save him, Frodo." Sam bluntly said.

Frodo snapped around angrily & suddenly. "What do you know about it? Nothing!" He shouted, glaring at Sam again. Sam however, just sadly turned around and started walking away to have some time alone. "I'm sorry, Sam. I don't know why I said that." Frodo's voice grew soft again, trying to stop Sam from walking away.

Sam turned around with tears in his eyes, looking at Frodo. He felt a great clump building in his throat. "I do. It's the Ring. You can't take your eyes off it. I've seen you. You're not eating. You barely sleep." He paused for a second, trying to catch his breath. "It's taken a hold of you, Mr Frodo. You have to fight it!" He pleaded with his friend. "I know what I have to do Sam. The Ring was entrusted to me! It's my task! Mine! My own!" Frodo shouted, now angry again. This time, he turned around & walked away towards Gollum.

"Can’t you hear yourself? Don’t you know who you sound like?" Sam tried to reach Frodo through his breaking voice, but Frodo would not have it. He kept walking & ignored his old friend.

The next day Frodo follows the source of a strange sound. While Sam made the rabbit ready for the three to eat.

Gollum only played mind games with the hobbits, more to Frodo then Sam. Gollum had planned to take them to a tunnel, where the two will get separated ways, his plan is to let somebody else kill them for him, so he can take the ring and ran away.

Sam looked over where Frodo was, and asked. "Mister Frodo?" Frodo lies down on the grassy gorund, and sees an army of the Easterlings marching. Sam and Sméagol walks up to him.

"Who are they?" Sam asked and looked at the incoming men. "Wicked men. Servants of Sauron. They are called to Mordor. The Dark One is gathering all armies to him. It won't be long now. It will soon be ready." Smégol spoke. "Ready to do what?"

"To make His war. The last war that will cover all the world in shadow." Frodo looked at Sam, "We've got to keep moving. C'mon Sam." Frodo starts to get up, but Sam stops him. Large beasts appear. "Look! It's an Oliphant! No one at home will believe this." The calling sound is heard again, now Sméagol backs away. "Sméagol?" Frodo looked over where he went, as the Easterlings are attacked from the bushes.

A man shoots an Easterling off of an Oliphant. The body falls near the hobbits. "We've lingered here for too long. C'mon Sam!" Frodo grabbed Sam by his arm, and the hobbit's depart but are caught by the humans.

"Ah! Wait! We're innocent travelers!" Sam said, and was held to the dirty ground. "There are no travelers in this land, only servants of the Dark Tower." Faramir told them sharply.

"We are bound to an errand of secrecy. Those that claim to oppose the enemy would do well not to hinder us." Frodo said and tried to stay calm. "The enemy?" Faramir turns over the dead Southron.

"His sense of duty was no less than yours, I deem. You wonder what his name is, where he came from, and if he was really evil at heart. What lies or threats led him on this long march from home. If he would not rather have stayed there in peace. War will make corpses of us all. Bind their hands." Faramir told his men and they bind Frodo's and Sams hands behind their backs and lead the way with the hobbit's.

Háma and Gamling ride to the front of the column. Legolas stands a small distance away, scanning the surroundings. "What is it? Háma?" Gamling asked and Háma knew the horses was restless. "I'm not sure."

A warg scout appears above them and charges towards the two, the warg attacks Háma and killed him. Gamling fights with the scout. Legolas shoots the warg with his arrow in sone shot.

"A scout!" He yelled for the others. "What is it? What do you see?" Théoden looked at Aragorn, "Wargs! We are under attack!" The villagers started to panic, "All riders to the head of the column!" Théoden give the order.

Legolas spots the warg pack which was running towards them.

"You must lead the people to Helm's Deep and make haste." Théoden said to Éowyn, who said she can fight. "No! You must do this, for me." Éowyn nods and made sure the people where safe.

Legolas stands alone shooting at the wargs and their riders. The column of riders appears behind him, but when Gimli's horse is near him, the elf swings himself up on the horse back. Wargs and Rohirrim run towards each other, swords drawn. The warg riders and the Rohirrim crash at full speed, many fo them and their riders where killed.

Rash and Valerie exchange looks, before Valerie ride after Aragorn and Rash after Théoden to set battle. Both killed wargs and their riders on their way.

A warg jumps on Aragorn, so he fell from his horse saddle, but quickly jumps on to a warg and fights with it's rider. Aragorn get's hitted by the orc and falls to the side of the warg. His hand is caught in the harness of the warg and he gets dragged along as it ran.

He fights with the orc, but it was no use however Valerie saw the scene. She kicked her horse to a gallop and reached out her hand for Aragorn to grab, he tried to reach her, but the warg was now sprinting faster then her horse, and ran to the left, so it come in between the horse legs, made so the horse fell over the warg in the speed. Sended Valerie off the saddle, Aragorn hand was now free from the harness, and had grabbed Valerie's arm just in time. But both of them fell off the cliff by the speed the could not stop.

As the fighting dissipates Rash, Legolas and Gimli are looking to find Aragorn and Valerie. "Aragorn! Valerie!" Legolas yelled searching to find them. "Valerie? Aragorn?" Gimli said with shock, as they saw her horse who laid on the ground with injured legs, and the warg was dead and laid a few meters away from the horse.

Rash then spots at a dying orc on the ground, laughing. He bends down and picked it up by it's neck. "Tell me what happened."

Orc laughed, "They.." The orc started to cough by the injure. "They are dead!" It laughs wickedly. "The girl and the man fell off the cliff." Rash now loosened his grip around it's neck, and let go of the orc.

Legolas grabs the orc by his collar, "You lie!" He yelled, but it starts to laugh laudly as blood bubbling in his mouth. He falls back dead in the hands of the elf, who sees the Evenstar in the orc's hand.

The three approach the cliff and look down into the river below, to see nothing. Théoden approaches behind them. "Get the wounded on horses. The wolves of Isengard will return. Leave the dead. Come."

Legolas looked at Théoden in perplexed anger, unable to completely comprehend & accept that Aragorn was gone. That Valerie was gone. Gimli & Legolas then turned & looked down into the river again, and nothing was indeed visible.

Rash stood at the edge of the cliffside, supporting his hands on the hilt of his sword which he had put into the ground. Legolas looked for a moment at the giant knight & he felt unsure of what to do. What does one say to a being that's clearly far older than anyone he had ever known, that had power that nothing he had seen & that seemingly loved just as much as he battled. Legolas sadly turned around & made his way to the horses. Gimli followed him, as they both knew that their shock was just about setting in.

The wolf knight stayed behind & didn't listen to Théoden's orders. The king looked at the knight in the distance before riding off. There was nothing he could do now.

The Rohan villagers were now almost at Helm's Deep. Several men & women were cheering. "We're safe, my lady! Thank you!" One of the young women shouted to Eowyn, who wandered next to a group of children. Eowyn meets the woman half-way as she approaches, and embraces her tightly. They then look on to the stronghold in front of them.

As the villagers approach, the gates open up with a deep rumble. Several children see their mother inside the castle, and run towards her. The small family embraces & cries in eachothers arms, happy to see one another again.

"Make way for the soldiers!" Théoden King shouted, and the crowd behind the large gates departed to look on as several riders strode through the opening, some hurt, some bloody. "So few, so few have returned!" Eowyn exclaimed in shock towards her father, looking at the small number of men that were still alive. "Our people are safe, we have paid for it with many lives." Théoden said, trying to hide his sorrow through his grumpiness.

"My lady..." Gimli approached Eowyn from behind, and held his helmet in his hands as he did, staring down into the ground in between them. "Where is lord Aragorn?" She asked, then her eyes caught the eyes of Legolas, who looked away as soon as he saw her. "And the girl, Valerie?" Her eyes started to take on a worried & tearful look. "They...they fell." Gimli said silently. Eowyn started shaking as if she was freezing, she looked around & caught Théoden looking at her. As soon as their eyes met, his too fell to the ground. That made the unasked question clear.

Rash had started moving from the cliffside down to the riverside, walking along the shores. As the river had a strong current, he started following it, slowly analyzing everything he could see. He saw a red spot next to a rock, and realized it was blood. He could smell it, and he knew it was not Aragorn, but Valerie.

Aragorn is floating in the river and washes ashore, he is dreaming about Arwen. Feeling her lips as they places upon his to a kiss. "May the grace of the Valar protect you." Her voice whispers to him. Bergo the horse, arrives at Aragorns side and nudges him until he awakes. The horse kneels down and Aragorn slowly gets on its back and rides away.

In Rivendell, Arwen lies on her bed dreams away. Elrond her father and the king of the elves of Rivendell enters the room. "Arwen, it is time. The ships are leaving for Valinor. Go now, before it is too late." He said to her and she sits up from the bed looking at her father. "I've made my choice." She spoke, and did not want to leave. "He is not coming back. Why do you linger when there is no hope?" Elrond asked, but his daughter nods. "There is still hope."

"If Aragorn survives this war, You will still be parted. If Sauron is defeated, and Aragorn made king and all that you hoped for comes true. You will still have to taste the bitterness of mortality." Elrond said and took a seat next to her. Arwen's face changes and she sees a vision of Aragorn lying dead, and where Arwen standing next to him, crying.

"Whether by the sword or the slow decay of time, Aragorn will die. And there will be no comfort for you. No comfort to ease the pain of his passing. He will come to death. An image of the splendor of the kings of men in glory, undimmed before the breaking of the world. But you, my daughter.. you will linger on in darkness and in doubt. As night falling winter has come without a star."

"Here you will dwell, bound to you grief, under the fading trees, until all the world has changed and the long years of your life are utterly spent. Arwen... There is nothing for you here, only death." Elrond bends down next to his daughter and held her hands in his.

"Do I not also have your love?" Arwen eyes filled with tears, as she hugged her father."You have my love, father." A group of Elves, including Arwen all sets off from Rivendell to the undying lands. Elrond stands and watches, as Arwen looks at him one last time before leaving

"The world is changed. I can feel it in the water, I can feel it in the earth, I can smell it in the air." Galadriel voice spoke to Elrond.

"The power of the enemy is growing. Sauron will use his puppet Saruman to destroy the people of Rohan." The Uruk-hai army marches.

"Isengard has been unleashed. The Eye of Sauron now turns to Gondor. The last free kingdom of men. The Eye of Sauron watches as Frodo and Sam are lead to Henneth Annûn. His war on this country will come swiftly. He senses the Ring is closer. The strength of the Ringbearer is failing. In his heart Frodo begins to understand. The quest will claim his life. You know this. You have foreseen it. It is the risk we all took."

"In the gathering dark, the will of the Ring grows strong. It works hard now to find its way back into the hands of men. Men, who are so easily seduced by it's power. The young captain of Gondor has but to extend his hand to take the Ring for his own and the world will fall. He is close now, so close to achieving his goal. For Sauron will have dominion over all life on this Earth, even until the ending of the world. The time of the elves is over. Do we leave Middle-Earth to this fate? Do we let them stand alone?"

Valerie laid in the darkness of the spirit relam, the line between life and death. A small dim of light was seen from the coner of her eyes, and to her suprise she didn't fear death anymore.

She slowly tilted her head to the side and saw the light coming closer to her. She accepted that it was her time to meet Eru. While she slowly was drifting away, a voice begun to speak to her, guiding her. The voice belonged to someone who she knew very well. But she didn't know how he could communicate with her, from the dead.

The figure from the light had approached her and the dim light slowly fades, to not as bright it was before.

"It's not your time yet, Valerie." The deep, but calm voice spoke. "You will live." A pair of strong arms picked her upper body up, as her head fell against his chest and Thorin held Valerie close to him. He stroked away a few strands of her hair, away from her face as he caressed her cheek, smiling.

"Loyalty, honor and a willing heart. I can ask no more than that from you." He told her, she had a faint smile on her lips as she leaned into his touch. She could not tell if this was only her own imaginations of a dream, or not. He felt far to real for her, for this to only be a dream.

Back to the real dimension, the charm of her necklace which rested on her collarbone shone bright by the blue stone. The assassin had wounds and scratches over her clothes, and skin. Blood ran down her forhead, from hitting her head before. Her lip bleed, which had been cracked.

She laid on land, the water brushing up to her. The sun shone bright from the trees red and green leaves.

Faramir was discussing with one of his men, as he held up a scrolled paper in his hands. "What news?" He asked the man under his command. "Our scouts report Saruman has attacked Rohan. Théoden’s people have fled to Helm’s Deep." The man points at the map, "But we must look to our own borders. Faramir, Orcs are on the move. Sauron is marshalling an army. Easterlings and Southrons are passing through the Black Gate." He said, looking at Faramir with worried eyes. "How many?" Faramir asked calmly. "Some thousands, more are coming every day." The man responded. "Who's covering the river to the north?" Faramir kept asking. "We pulled 500 men from Osgiliath. But if the orcs attack, we won't hold it." The man said.

"Saruman attacks from Isengard. Sauron from Mordor. The fight will come to men on both fronts. Gondor is weak. Sauron will strike us soon. And he will strike hard. He knows now we do not have the strength to repel him." Faramir said, an upset expression starting to take form in his face.

Faramir walks up to Sam & Frodo, whom have now been unbound & their blindfolds removed. He sits down next to them. "My men tell me that you are orc spies." He said bluntly, looking at Frodo, then to Sam. "Spies!? Now wait just a minute!" Sam shouted right off the bat, staring at Faramir. "Well if you're not spies, then who are you?" He asked, looking at both of them. They kept silent for several moments. "Speak." He said bluntly, ordering them.

"We are hobbits of the Shire. Frodo Baggins is my name and this is Samwise Gamgee." Frodo said calmly, and his soft voice managed to compell Faramir that it was the truth. "Your bodyguard?" Faramir asked Frodo, then looking at Sam. "His gardener." Sam answered himself. "And where is your skulking friend? That gangrel creature. He had an ill-favoured look." Faramir was now eyeing Frodo, since he saw how Frodo hesitated from answering. "There was no other." He answered, but a keen eye could see that he was lying. "We set out from Rivendell with seven companions. One we lost in Mória. Two were my kin. A Dwarf there was also, and an Elf. And two men, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and Boromir of Gondor."

At that moment, at that last name, Faramir was taken aback & almost lost his breath. "You're a friend of Boromir?" He asked with great interest. "Yes." He answered, looking down into the ground. "For my part, atleast." He said sadly. "It will grieve you then to know that he is dead?" Faramir asked.

Frodo looked up, shocked. "Dead? When? How?" He asked, now very upset. "As one of his companions, I’d hoped you would tell me." Faramir paused. "He was my brother." He continued. Sam & Frodo looked at him with sorrowful eyes.

Aragorn rides upon Brego, slowly making his way to Helm's Deep. The horse knew where to go, as it had travelled to & from Hell's Deep, several times in it's lifetime. Such was the horses of Middle-Earth. Highly intelligent & very loyal. Aragorn had a hard time sitting straight, and whenever he would falter, Brego would correct his posture in order for Aragorn to lean upon his mane.

The ranger & the horse arrived at Helm's Deep, and the horse walked slowly up the ramparts to the main gate. "Open the gate!" A man yelled from one of the watchtowers, and the gates slowly croaked open. Aragorn sat tired upon Brego, his head hanging heavy from his neck. People around him started chattering & whispering, and it was clear that the rumours of him had spread. The heir to Isildur had returned, and with him, the hope to defeat Sauron once & for all.

The dawrf walked up among side the people, who whispered and looked at Aragorn who had walked into the Helm's Deep with Brego.

"Where is he! Where is he! Get out of my way! I'm gonna kill him! You are the luckiest, the cunningest, and most reckless man I ever knew!" Gimli embraces Aragorn, who chuckled at his friends reaction. But he was still very tierd and weak.

"Gimli, where is the king?" Aragorn asked, then he runs right into to Legolas. "You're late." The elf male smirked, and looked at Aragorn from top to toe.

"You look terrible." Aragorn then could not hold his laugh, and puts his hand on Legolas shoulder smiling. Èowyn sees them from the distance and she smiled with tears in her eyes, when she saw Aragorn who are back again, and Legolas gives Aragorn Arwen's Evenstar back.

Then Legolas looked behind them, to see if Rash was back with Aragorn. But he was no where to be seen. He turned to Aragorn again, "Where is Valerie and Rash? Are they with the king?" Aragorn asked, he knew the girl had fallen off the cliff with him, but he didn't know what happend after they fell, or what happend to Valerie.

Gimli now looked at Legolas, then at Aragorn taking a deep breath before he could speak.

"She is gone..." Gimli's eyes turned to sorrow from joy, and he looked down as he spoke. The wound was still fresh, and Legolas looked like he wanted to hit something by the sorrow he held.

Aragorn looked shocked when Gimli said she was gone. He rest his hands on both of his friends shoulders, he knew he could not ease the pain the three had of losing their friend.

Théoden was inside the Helms hall, and Aragorn pushes the doors open and enters with Gimli and Legolas behind him. "A great host, you say?" The king asked and turned around. "All Isengard is emptied."

"How many?" Théoden asked, "Ten thousand strong at least." Aragorn told him, and Théoden turns to face him with shock.

"Ten thousand?!" He yelled and walked up to him with long steps. "It is an army bred for a single purpose: to destroy the world of Men. They will be here by nightfall." Aragorn explained. "Let them come." The king murmured under his grumpiness and walks outside Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli following him.

"I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms, to be ready for battle by nightfall. We will cover the causeway and the gate from above. No army has ever breached the deeping wall or set foot inside the Hornburg." The king said.

Gimli then looked at the king, "This is no rabble of mindless orcs. These are Uruk-hai. Their armor is thick and their shields broad." The dwarf spoke of what he knew, this would not be a war they can just take down on their own.

"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own keep. They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn, we've seen it before. Crops can be resown. Homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them." The king spoke and keept on walking.

Aragorn then added his word to the king, "They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages. They come to destroy it's people. Down to the last child!" He yelled after the king, who turned in a fury to face Aragorn.

"What would you have me do? Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance!" The king spoke and eyed Aragorn.

"Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid." Aragorn told him, "And who will come. Elves? Dwarves? We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead." The king said sharply. "Gondor will answer." Aragorn told him, but the kind didn't belive his words.

"Gondor? Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us!? Where was Gon. No, my Lord Aragorn, we are alone." Théoden walks away from Aragorn, up to Gamling. "Get the women and children into the caves."

Gamling looked at his king, with a shocked expression. "We need more time to lay provisions for a siege, lord, -" Gamling said after his king, but was cut off by his word by Théoden. "There is no time. War is upon us!" the king yelled back at him.

"Secure the gate." Gamling said to the guards, who did as they were told and the gate fell down and closed.

People scurry around Helm's Deep, men of Rohan called out for them to follow them. "Come on people! Quickly, now!" "We'll place the reserves along the wall. They can support the archers from above the gate." Aragorn said, and Legolas walked next to him, worried about Aragorn's condition. "Aragorn, you must rest. You're no use to us half-alive." He said, then before he had time to answer the elf, Èowyn calls out to Aragorn.

"Aragorn! I'm to be sent with the women into the caves." She ran up to him. "That is an honorable charge." He said, "To mind the children, to find food and bedding when the men return. What renown is there in that?" Éowyn eyes show worry. "My lady, a time may come for valor without renown. Who then will your people look to in the last defense?"

"Let me stand at your side." Éowyn said and grabbed his arm, Aragorn looked first out to the no where then at her. "It is not in my power to command it." Aragorn begins to walk away.

"You do not command the others to stay! They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you. Because they love you." She said to him who looks back at her. "I'm sorry." Èowyn then walks away, inside Helm's Deep where people wander in to the caves. Husbands and sons are taken away from their wives and mothers.

In the armory, weapons are handed out to the villagers. "Farmers, farriers, stable boys." "These are no soldiers." He said, Gimli looked at him. "Most have seen too many winters!" The dwarf spoke leaning over his axe hilt.

"Or too few. Look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes." Legolas looks at Aragorn as the room turns silent. "And they should be. Three hundred, against ten thousand! They have a better chance defending themselves here than in Edoras." Aragorn said.

"Aragorn, they can't win this fight. They are all going to die!" Legolas shouted after his friend.

"Then I shall die as one them!" Aragorn and Legolas stare at each other, and Aragorn walks away from the elf. Legolas tries to run after him, but is stopped by Gimli.

"Let him go, lad. Let him be." the dwarf said and Legolas didn't ran after him.

Théoden is given his armor by Gamling. "Every villager able to wield a sword has been sent to the armory. My lord?" Gamling asked, Théoden looked at him and asked from his heart. "Who am I, Gamling?"

Gamling looked a bit confused, but understood his king's worry. "You are our king, sire." "And do you trust your king?" Théoden asked him, and who he nods his head.

"Your men, my lord. Will follow you to whatever end." Gamling said and he helps the King in to his armor. "To whatever end." The king spoke, calm and terrified at the same time.

Uruks march towards Helm's Deep. "Where is the horse and the rider. Where is the horn that was blowing." The villagers receive their weapons.

A helmet is placed on the head of a scared boy, while another child looks at the axe in his hand. "They have passed like rain on the mountains. Like wind in the meadow. The days have gone down in the west. Behind the hills, into shadow."

"How did it come to this." The king asked with somber eyes.

The giant, armored knight walked along the sandy shores of the river that seemed to run forever. He was hoping that he didn't have to stray too far, as the further he went, the longer it would take to get to Helm's Deep. Thus it was, that Rash almost completely disregarded the battle that was to come, as he only had Valerie in his mind. He knew that she was not dead, as that was one thing he would have felt. But she could be lost, confused & dazed, that much he knew.

It wasn't until he arrived at a curious spot on the river beach, that he had a good sign of where to find his love. The sand was pushed in & something seemed to have been dragged along the shoreline. Rash sped up his pace, taking longer & longer strides with great power, almost shaking the ground around him as he quickly thundered forward.

He found his love, Valerie, lying on the white sands of the river. She had been dragged by the stream along the beachside, making a long stretch of lines in the sand. She laid face first in the sand, her face pushing down on her right cheek. The knight walked quickly up to her & kneeled. He gently shoved his hands below her chest & lifted her up from the beach, rolling her over to her back & carried her up the hills behind him. He carried her to a small patch of grass & put her down on her back.

Her face was both bruised & slimy, as the algaes in the river had gotten stuck to her hair. A small but deep wound was visible on her forehead & it had gushed blood that trickled down her right eye. At first glance, it would almost seem like she was completely lifeless. But Rash could observe her eyes beneath her eyelids moving rapidly. She was dreaming & very deeply so. Still, water had filled her lungs & she needed to be treated.

He pulled his iron gauntlet off his left hand so that his fingers could caress her chest. Gently, he placed his hand on her stomach. He kept still for a few seconds, then with utter care, he pushed ever so softly against her stomach. The girl instantly sat up & started coughing up water that had a tint of red. The fall had obviously caused internal harm & the blood that was leaking had mixed with the water inside her lungs.

She coughed & she coughed even more still, until she had nothing left in her lungs but air. The wound on her head had been healed & not even a scar was visible. Only the slowly drying blood was left on the side of her head. The internal wounds she once had were now also gone, and she felt no pain as she regained her clarity of mind. She turned her eyes to Rash who knelt beside her. He held his arm around her so as to support her. But there was something different about him, he seemed tired in a way.

Then, after a few seconds of looking at eachother, it was almost as if they were about to embrace. But she saw the signs of what he had done. He was pale, even more so than she was after losing consciousness & bleeding heavily from her head. His blinking was slower than what she was used to, and he looked at her with loving eyes.

"You are alright now, my love." He almost slurred to her. He then fell back & breathed & out slowly, obviously exhausted. Because such was the power of a Maia, that he could heal wounds that would otherwise be fatal, but in doing so, he heavily scarred his own spirit. He had only done such a thing once in his millenia-long existence, and the second time was even more excruciating.

At Helm's Deep, everyone is getting ready for war at the battlements. Aragorn is sitting on the steps. He sees a young lad in armour holding a sword looking around nervously.

"Give me your sword. What is your name?" He asked the boy. "Haleth, son of Háma, my lord. The men are saying that we will not live out the night. They say that it is hopeless.." The boy said, his eyes seeking the ground in despair.

Aragorn swings the sword around a bit, testing it's stability. "This is a good sword, Haleth, son of Háma." He then hands the sword back to Haleth, simultaneously putting his other hand on the boy's shoulder. "There is always hope." He said, smiling at the boy.

Valerie was sitting next to Rash, while she caresses his cheek with her palm looking into his eyes. She saw he was getting much paler and weaker than before.

Valerie took his hand with her both, and held it over his chest, locked her eyes with his. "You need to rest, and I won't leave your side." She lean down to brush her lips upon his, and she kissed him gently.

The two moved into the forest to take shelter from the rain. Valerie helped Rash to lay down on the grassy ground, towering trees which are like a roof for the two from the rain. Taking his cloak and laid if over him, she drew her sword with the soul of Smaug, out from the hilt and placed it close to Rash, the blade was very warm and with the heat from it, she knew it would help him to recover faster.

Valerie had made also made up a bon fire, she was sitting next to keep herself warm. The hours passed by and the knight was recovering, he was getting back his colors and energy again. Even though it took hours for him to fully heal. Valerie knew that he had used much of his power to save her and she made sure he could rest.

They had shelter under the towering trees, which kept them safe, with the bom Fire from the puring rain, which was coming down from the dark night sky.

Valerie had got two fishes from the river, for her and Rash to have something to eat and get some energy back, while she felt her belly cry by hunger. She grilled the fishes over the fire, and waited until Rash should wake up again.

The knight was slowly waking up from his sleep. He sat up slowly with his back suported by the tree behind him. He saw Valerie's sword next to him, how she had taken care while he had fallen asleep.

His colors was back again, but he knew it would take some time for him to be completly healed. However he didn't look as pale, as he did before anymore.

Quietly the wolf knight watched as the love of his life was up on her feet, breathing again while she made the fish ready over the camp fire.

Rash felt relived to have found her before it would have been to late. And she was doing everything she could for him to recover, when she knew what he had done to save her. Smiling, she glanced up from the fire and met his loving gaze.

Her heart was lighter, to see Rash who was already feeling better and back to his normal self again. She also remeber Thorin's words which had guided her to not give up in the dimension of spirits.

Valerie knew he and the knight had both saved her, and she're thankful to have them both by her side on this journey.

She grabbed the fishes by their sticks and taken them off from the fire. She walks to Rash handled him one of the grilled fish and taken her seat on the grassy ground beside him.

The gates are opened, and an army of elves march in. Men stare in awe. Théoden walks down the stairs and meets the Elf Captain on his way.

The king looked shoked, but also relived as the Elf Captain had come to help them. "How is this possible?" He asked rasing his brows.

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between elves and men. Long ago we fought and died together." Haldir said to the king of Rohan, Théoden.

Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli rush down the stairs. "We come to honor that allegiance." Haldir walks up to Aragorn giving him a hug.

"Welcome, Haldir!" Aragorn stands before the elf and then hugs him. Haldir, a little surprised, returns the gesture. "You are most welcome." He spoke and looked at the elf with a smile.

Legolas comes down the stairs and embraces Haldir. The army of elves turn and lower their bows and shields in unison. "We are proud to fight alongside men, once more." Haldir slightly smiled.

Rash & Valerie were quiet during their small feast. They just occasionally looked at eachother as they were eating the fish from the sticks. After a long while of just sitting still, Rash turned his head toward the direction he had come from as he searched for Valerie. Dark clouds had started to form, to the direction of Helm's Deep. Even the night sky seemed darker than usual, and the once visible stars were hidden behind a miasma of smoke & dust over Mordor in the distance. Rash remembered how the dark clouds had completely covered the skies over Middle-Earth, during the great campaigns against the first dark lord, Morgoth.

The darkening of the night skies was always a bad omen, for the smoke of fire & chaos was an effect of the preparation of monstrous armies of darkness. The giant warmachines of Sauron were being built, and the Uruk-Hai army approaching Helm's Deep was a sign of that first wave of terror.

So Rash rose to his feet, dusting his armor off. He stretched out a hand to Valerie, who still had her mouth full of fishmeat. She raised her eyebrows & sighed, grabbed his hand & turned to the direction of Helm's Deep.

Men and Elves stood in their positions on the battlements of Helm’s Deep. The sounds of a marching army moved closer and closer. The women and children in the caves were listening to the sounds overhead and were frightened by the rumbling overhead. Mothers drew their children close and tried to sooth their crying babies. The men and Elves looked out into darkness, lit by the thousands of torches carried by the huge advancing Uruk-hai army and the light bouncing off of their armour. With a row of Elf archers, Gimli stood beside Legolas behind the great barrier atop Helm's Deep, only the top of his helmet visible from the ground below.

The dwarf grumbled in an annoyed voice. "You could have picked a better spot." He said. Legolas looked down to the side at his friend & smiled ever so slightly. Aragorn walked up behind them & took his place next to Gimli. "Well lad, whatever luck you live by, let’s hope it lasts the night." He said as he looked up at Aragorn.

Thunder & lightning struck across the skies as the rain poured down, the light revealing the sea of Uruk-Hai. Aragorn made a grimace as he looked out on the innumerable Uruk-Hai approaching them. "Your friends are with you, Aragorn." Legolas said calmly, looking at his friend with a hopeful look on his face. "Let's hope they last the night." Gimli corrected himself, looking around at the surrounding elves.

The marching and thumping grows louder and louder. Lightning flashes and the rain pours even more. While the Uruk-hai army continues to march at the fortress, an Uruk-hai leader steps on a rock outcrop.

"Show them no mercy! For you shall receive none!" Aragorn yelled to the soilders, as Aragorn walks forward and looks down at the huge army.

Gimli could not see what was going on, as his size troubled him from seeing. "What's happening out there?" He asked the elf who was tall enough to see. "Shall I describe it to you? Or would you like me to find you a box?" Legolas smirked and looked down on his friend, who stood next to him and laughed.

The Uruks pound their spears and roar. The men and elves in the fortress ready their weapons. And old man accidentally shoots an arrow, hitting an orc. Then everything goes silent, as the orc falls down, dead. "Hold!" Aragorn yells out as the Uruks roar in anger and charges. "So it begins." The king of Rohan said, ready to fight.

As the army below runs forward, the elves prepare to shoot their arrows. "Fire!" Aragorn shouted, as the bows are released and the Uruks showered with arrows. Gimli still could not see anything. "Anybody hit anything?"

"Give them a volley." Théoden told his men, Gamling next to him yelling out another fire and more arrows are shot. "Keep firing!" Aragorn yelled to them, "Come on! Send them to me!" Gimli shouted.

Many Uruks fall dead. The Uruks shoot arrows back. A dead elf falls from the wall. The Uruks put up ladders. "Ladders!" Aragorn yells as The Uruk-hai climb up the ladders, heavy fighting follows.

"Legolas, two already!" Gimli had a wide smile, he meant the Uruk-hai, the count on how many he had killed. Legolas smiled to the dwarf hitting one more of the Uruks. "I'm on seventeen!" The elf smiled with joy, "Argh! I'll have no pointy-ear outscoring me!" The dwarf grolws. "Nineteen!"

More ladders rise against the walls and more of the army had made it up to the men and elves. The fighting at Helm's Deep continues. Gimli hacks away with his axe, "Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. Twenty-one. Twenty-two." He yelled as smaching his axe at the Uruks. A group of Uruks, covered in shields, approach the main gate.]

"Northway! Nauthannen!" Aragorn yelled, as the elves shoot and many of the Uruks fall down. "Is this it? Is this all you can conjure, Saruman?" Théoden asked, and below the troops carry Saruman's explosives to the drain. An Uruk soldier carrying a bright torch runs towards the hole. "Legolas, stop him! Kill him!" Aragorn yelled to the elf, who quickly hits the Uruk with two arrows, but fails to kill it, letting the Uruk-hai light the explosives. A large part of the wall explodes.

Théoden looks upon in shock, as a huge boulders fly through the air. Aragorn lies on the ground, unconscious. Saruman's army starts to crowd through the hole in the wall. At the gates, the Uruks try to break through. "Brace the gates!" The king yelled to his men as they run to the gate and try to hold it, as the Uruks pound from the other side. "Hold them! Stand fast!" Men, including one that looks a great deal like the belching oaf from Bree) throw rocks and spears down on the orcs below.

Aragorn regains consciousness as the Uruks run towards him. Gimli sees this and jumps down from the wall, landing in a pool. He hacks the attacking Uruks. "Gimli! Prepare to charge!" Gimli continues fighting, but is hit and falls in to the pool. "Hurl the arrows! Charge!"

They attack, Aragorn leading them. Legolas takes a shield from the ground and rides down the stairs on it, shooting arrows at the Uruks. The Uruks continue flowing in from the hole in the wall, but they are met by men and elves and a dwarf.

"The Ents cannot hold back this storm. We must weather such things as we have always done." Treebeard says to his hobbit companions. "How can that be your decision?" Merry shouts angrily at Treebeard that towered above him. "This is not our war." Treebeard bluntly said, blinking slowly with his bark covered eyelids. "But you're part of this world! Aren’t you?!" Merry yells in a pleading manner. The ents are taken aback by this response. "You must help, please! You must do something!" He now lowers his voice, but the pleading became more apparent.

Treebeard pauses & breathes slowly.

"You are young and brave, Master Merry. But your part in this tale is over. Go back to your home." He said again, very bluntly, as if the final decision had been made already.

Later during the night, Merry is putting on his jacket as Pippin approaches him from behind. "Maybe Treebeard’s right. We don’t belong here, Merry. It's too big for us. What can we do in the end? We've got the Shire. Maybe we should go home." He said, trying to comfort his friend.

But it was for naught, as Merry knew what times lay ahead. He looked into the distance, out of the thick woods. "The fires of Isengard will spread. And the woods of Tuckborough and Buckland will burn. And all that was once green and good in this world will be gone." He turns around & puts a hand on Pippin's shoulder. "There won't be a Shire, Pippin." He said in deep sadness.

As Aragorn, Legolas & the elves meet their foes, streaming from the hole, Aragorn yells orders in Elvish while raising his sword to his right. Gimli roars as he jumps out of the water, surprising a hefty amount of Uruk's, making them lose their footing. He cracks down upon them with his axe & swirls around in a blind fury.

Aragorn & the elves charged & sliced wherever the Uruk's were vulnerable. Legolas kept firing his arrows tirelessly, never missing a shot.

"Aragorn! Fall back to the Keep! Get your men out of there!" Gamling shouted from atop the keep courtyards. Aragorn nodded during the battle & shouted to the elf army. "Na Barad! Na Baraad! Haldir, na Barad!" Haldir heard Aragorn & turned his head for a moment to react, as he was preoccupied with several Uruk's at the same time.

Two elves grab Gimli in his fury & drags him off to retreat. He kicks & roars & tries to break free because of his bloodlust. "What are you doing! Arrrrrh! What are you stopping for?" He yells, but the elves doesn't respond.

Haldir keeps hacking away at several Uruk's, but turns for a moment to the gate to watch the oncoming force of Uruk-Hai marching on the bridge. He gets stabbed in the arm by an Uruk with a spear. With a grimace, he kills the Uruk-hai and looks down as his wound in seeming disbelief. An Uruk-hai comes up from behind him unnoticed and slices him on the neck. As Haldir goes down, he looks around him and sees his kin fallen among countless dead Uruk-hai.

Aragorn turns to see Haldir falling to his knees on the wall. "Haldir!" He shouts in a panic & starts rushing to his friend's aid. He slices a couple of Uruk's with great power, decapitating them on his way to Haldir. He arrives just in time to catch Haldir before he falls to his face. He supports his elf friend & lays him down slowly to the ground. Haldir's eyes roll back as he silently dies. Aragorn shuts his eyes & bows his head in immense grief & in a rage, he shoots up from the ground, kicking a giant ladder full with climbing Uruk-Hai. The ladder starts to fall over to the other side from the power of Aragorn's kick, and it slowly tumbles over onto the sea of Uruk-Hai below. Tens, if not hundreds of Uruk's are crushed beneath the ladders weight.

Frodo, Sam, and Gollum approach a city with the men who lead them there. "Look. Osgiliath burns. Mordor has come." A man spoke from the crew. "The Ring will not save Gondor. It has only the power to destroy." Frodo said and looked up at Faramir. "Please, let me go." Faramir looks at Frodo, but motions his men to move. "Faramir, you must let me go!" Frodo spoke after him. Treebeard carryies the hobbits near Isengard.

"And a little family of field mice that climb up sometimes and it tickle me awfully. They're always trying to get somewhere —" Treebeard said, and stops as he sees cut and burned trees. "Many of these trees were my friends. Creatures I had known from nut and acorn." "I'm sorry, Treebeard." Pippin said.

"They had voices of their own." Treebeard looks past the ruined forest to the furnaces of Isengard. "Saruman! A wizard should know better!" Treebeard's leaves ruffle in anger and let's out a powerful cry that echoes through the forests, the hobbit's held their ears by the cry. "There is no curse in elvish, entish or the tongues of men for this treachery."

"Look at the trees, they're moving!"Pippin said as the trees starts to move and come alive. "Where are they going?" Merry asked and looked at Treebeard. "They have business with the orcs. My business is with Isengard tonight. With a rock and stone." The hobbits look as Ents march out from the forest. "Rárum-rum! Come my friends. The Ents are going to war. It is likely that we go to our doom. The last march of the Ents." The Ents march towards Isengard.

Osgiliath is under attack. Faramir and his prisoners enter the city. "Faramir, orcs have taken the eastern shore. Their numbers are too great. By nightfall we'll be overrun." Madril spoke to Faramir. Frodo stumbles and cought Sam's attention, "Mister Frodo!" "It's calling to him, Sam. His eye is almost on me." Sam nods, "Hold on, Mister Frodo." Sam continues speaking, but Frodo can no longer hear him.

"Take them to my father. Tell him, Faramir sends a mighty gift. A weapon that will change our fortunes in this war." Faramir turns to leave, "You wanna know what happened to Boromir? You wanna know why your brother died? He tried to take the Ring from Frodo. After swearing an oath to protect him. He tried to kill him! The Ring drove your brother mad!" Sam yelled at Faramir, but he told the truth. An offscreen voice cries "Look out!" A tower is hit with a boulder and crumbles. The call from the Ring is heard again.

"They're here. They've come." The cry of a Nazgûl is heard.

Faramir, knew what it was and yelled out to his men. "Nazgûl!" A Nazgûl on a winged beast flies over Osgiliath. Frodo stares at it, as the men around him start to run. Gollum is terrified and tried to take shelter, while Faramir grabs the hobbits and leads them to cover. "Stay here. Keep out of sight. Take cover!"

The screams of the ringwraith cut throught the air like a razor & the high pitched cry deafened all the men in the ruins of Osgiliath. Most men fell to their knees, screaming out in anguish. Frodo was at first also affected, but as Sam helped him take cover, the ring started speaking to him. As he sat with his back against a stone wall, he heard the black speech whispering in his ears & he could feel the urge of putting on the ring. Sam was preoccupied by looking out for the Nazgûl & didn't at first notice what Frodo was doing.

Frodo then stepped out from the stone & walked up a couple of ruined stairs, so that he would stand at the top of an Osgiliath tower. He stepped out into the light, and as he did, a Nazgûl appeared in front of him, riding it's fel beast. Frodo was completely entranced by the power of the ring, and was about to pull the ring from his necklace & pull it off. He fidgeted with it slowly between his fingers.

Faramir sees Frodo from below & observes his behaviour. He is taken completely aback by Frodo's actions. He then looked around in a confused manner as he realized what he had tried to do. Sam comes up from behind Frodo & tackles him onto the floor behind a wall, taking cover. The pair tumble down the stairs.

Faramir releases an arrow with his bow, piercing the fell beast next to the tower. It squeals & flies off in pain with it's Nazgûl master.

Frodo shouts in anger & jumps at Sam with his sword, Sting, high in the air. He puts his knee on Sam's chest & his other hand gripped Sam's shoulder, ready to pierce his friend. While tears are streaming down his face in sorrow, Sam looks at Frodo. "It’s me. It’s your Sam. Don’t you know your Sam?" He asks calmly.

It works. The madness within Frodo slowly dissipates, his dillated pupils become normal again & he lets his arm go limp. Frodo gets to his feet but stumbles backwards & hits a wall with his back. His hand releases Sting, which lands on the ground with a clang. Frodo slowly slides down to the floor, looking exhausted. "I can't do this, Sam." He says with a that has no fight in it anymore.

"I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are." Sam stands and leans against a wall, looking out into the distance. "It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened?" He says, the sadness stuck in his throat. "What are we holding on to, Sam?" Frodo asks in a dejected manner.

"There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for." He answers his friend, turning his head to look face to face with Frodo.

Back at Helm's Deep, the surviving soldiers & elves have barricaded themselves within the keep with King Theoden, Aragorn, Gimli & Legolas. Chants of black speech is heard outside & the hammering slams of a battering ram reverberating through the hall.

"The fortress is taken. It is over." Theoden states, having completely given up. Aragorn is carrying a large table with Legolas, putting it up against the door that's getting assaulted by the Uruk-Hai. "You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it! They still defend it! They have died defending it!" He yelled angrily at Theoden.

"Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" Aragorn asks calmly. There is no answer from Theoden. Gamling however, answers. "There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many." He says as he is alerted by the banging on the door. "Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance." He says to Gamling.

Theoden ponders, wandering around in small circles. "So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?" He says in a horrified manner. "Ride out with me. Ride out and meet them." Aragorn says, as he wanders over to Theoden. A light of determination & spirit is shown in Theoden's eyes. He looks up at Aragorn. "For death & glory." He says silently. "For Rohan. For your people." Aragorn says, putting his hand on Theoden's shoulder. Theoden smiles back at Aragorn

"The sun is rising." Gimli says, looking at a window placed right beneath the ceiling. Aragorn looks up at a window to see faint light streaming through. He recalls Gandalf's words. "Yes. Yes! The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep one last time!" He says as he inspires everyone around him with his renewed spirit. "Yes!" Gimli says as he runs up to the stairs to the horn.

"Let this be the hour when we draw swords together. Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath! Now for ruin! And a red dawn!" Theoden shouts to his men, mounting his horse & putting on his helmet. Gimli blows the horn & the deep sound reverberates through the halls & reaches far & wide outside Helm's Deep. "Forth Eorlingas!" Theoden yells to his men, raising his sword above him.

Just as Aragorn & Legolas mounts up other horses, the Uruk's break through with their battering ram.

Théoden leads the charge out of the keep into the Hornburg, slashing away at the Uruk-hai as they go. Without pause, they storm out of the gate and down the Causeway, right into the column of waiting Uruk-hai. In the midst of battle, Aragorn looks east and sees a white rider against the rising sun.

"Gandalf." He says with hope filling his heart.

"Theoden king stands alone." Gandalf says, standing at the top of the western hill. "Not alone." Éomer states, sitting on his horse next to Gandalf. An amassed army of riders form up behind Éomer.

"Éomer!" Theoden says, baffled by what he is seeing.

A loud roar is heard from the distance, as if it came from a monster. Aragorn turned his head to the right, the opposite side of the horizon from which Gandalf & Éomer were standing.

The sun was reflected off of a large surface, an armor the likes of which Aragorn knew belonged to only one man, not a monster. Next to the armored man appeared a smaller figure. Legolas & Aragorn both looked at eachother & almost had the time to smile in the chaos as they felt a surge of nostalgia rushing up their spines.

Valerie raised her blade above her head, letting the sword absorb the strong sunlight that was spreading across the lands. The edges of the blade started to glow hot red, and warm winds started to form around her, swirling across her body, making her clothes flap & her hair flow. She nodded to Rash as they looked at eachother before the action started. He nodded back.

"To the king!" Éomer yelled to his men & Gandalf, and the horsemen galloped down the slopes of the large hill. Simultaneously, Rash let loose a loud roar & rushed down the hillside, pulling Akandir from his back & letting the blade cleave the ground behind him as he prepared to swing. Half of the Uruk-Hai army turn to face him in hesitation & fear, and the other half of the Uruk's turn to face the giant armada of horselords that were now rapidly riding down.

The winds around Valerie now turned into living flames. "Very well, use my power just this once." A loud whisper could be heard. Valerie looked at her sword & saw a reflection of Smaug's face looking at her. She grimaced, turned to look at the army below, and took off in a giant leap. She cut through the air like a flaming phoenix & rapidly crashed like a comet into the middle of the Uruk-Hai army. Several Uruk's were instantly encased in their armor as it melted around them. Some Uruk's that had their faces exposed, had their faces almost burnt to ash from the sheer heat.

Then came the slashing, as Valerie turned into a flaming tornado of death & despair. Uruk's were panicking from left to right, north to south. At the same time, the Rohirrim crashed into the ocean of Uruk-Hai with Gandalf & Éomer at their front. The horses kicked & mangled the Uruk spearcarriers.

Rash let loose his charged swing as he reached the front lines of the Uruk-Hai and the force of his swing cracked against the armored Uruk-Hai with a crunch. Several Uruk-Hai were sliced in two, but most flew high & some were thrown like ragdolls into the stone walls of Helm's Deep.

In the meantime, while the war continues on, Rash and Valerie slughtered Uruk-hai's from left to right, so did Gandalf and the others on the battlefield. To protect Rohan and the innocent people.

The Ents enter Isengard, throwing boulders at the towers. Orcs try to defend the Isengard, but are squashed by the Ents. One of the Ents is pulled down, and orcs climb on to it, chopping it with their axes.

Treebeard then throws a stone, saving his fellow Ent. The hobbits cheer. Saruman runs out to his balcony of the tower he is inside and watches the battle.

Merry and Pippin throw rocks on the orcs below, helping the Ents. One of the Ents is set on fire with lit arrows. Saruman watches at his balcony.

"Break the dam! Release the river!" Treebeard said and an Ent pulls open the beams supporting the dam and breaks it that the masses of water flows in.

"Hold on little hobbits!" Treebeard told Merry and Pippin who sat on the Ents shoulders and held tight.

The water come to their derection, taken every orc with it as the Ents stand still, and resist the waters. As they flow down in to the fires of Isengard, flooding everything. The Ent on fire is saved by the water.

Saurman watches in horror from his tower, as the Ents destroyed his work with the orcs, away by the water.

Isengard is flooded.

The fight against the Uruks was about it's end, when hope had come from Gandalf who had with him Éomer and his men. Then also Rash and Valerie who had arrived, to fight against the Uruk-Hai army.

The Uruks continues on running from away Helm's Deep and into a line of trees. "Stay out of the forest! Keep away from the trees!" Èomer said, the Uruks run into the forest. It groans and sways. Horrible sounds emerge.

Inside the gates and the many men, children had died under the war. Èowyn ran up to Aragorn and carressed his cheeks and smiles with tears to see him unhurt. Aragorn brought her in for a tight embrace.

The Rohirrim are clearing Uruk bodies, Gimli sits on one, smoking his pipe, with proud. "Final count: fourty-two." Legolas said, and walked up to Gimli who looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Fourty-two?! That's not bad for a pointy-eared Elvish princeling." Gimli chuckled, while smoking his pipe.

"I myself am sitting pretty on fourty-three." Legolas frowns and draws his bow and shoots Gimli's Uruk who was still not dead, yet.

"Fourty-three." Legolas smirked, Gimli grounted. "He was already dead." The dwarf murmured.

"He was twitching." The elf smirked, placed back his bow back behind his shoulders.

"He was twitching because he's got my axe embedded in his nervous system!" Gimli wiggles the axe handle, making the Uruk twitch.

Then Rash and Valerie approached, the elf and dwarf. Who both turned to them and smiled wide to see them unhurt, especially Valerie. Who they had thought was dead.

"Valerie!" Gimli spoke and stood up to hug her. But Legolas was first to embrace her. The dwarf growled but slightly lauged at himself, when he saw Rash's eyes lend on him, and his facial appearance change into a grin.

The elf had seen the two when they arrived by the hill, and joined the battle against the army of Uruk-hai.

"I think at last we understand one another, Frodo Baggins." Faramir said as he walked up to the Hobbit. He had heard the words that Sam had spoken, and he felt himself stronger & more hopeful than before. He felt himself overcoming his pride & need to exceed his father's expectations.

"You know the laws of our country, the laws of your father. If you let them go, your life will be forfeit." One of Faramir's men said, trying to warn him of the consequences of which he was about to face.

"Then it is forfeit. Release them." Faramir said, as he kept his eyes glued on Frodo. He smiled a little. Sam walks up to Faramir & shakes his hand generously. Frodo looks at Faramir as gladness starts taking hold in his eyes.

Later on, as the friends are walking through the woods of Osgiliath, they try to make sense of the things that had happened. "I wonder if we’ll ever be put into songs or tales." Sam said curiously, stepping over branches in order to not trip. "What?" Frodo asked, almost chuckling. "I wonder if people will ever say, ‘let’s hear about Frodo and the Ring.’ And they’ll say ‘yes, that’s one of my favorite stories. Frodo was really courageous, wasn’t he, dad.’ ‘Yes, my boy, the most famousest of hobbits. And that’s saying alot." He continued as he chose his steps, following Frodo.

Frodo turned around, smiling to his friend. "Huh, you left out one of the chief characters – Samwise the Brave. I want to hear more about Sam." He said, as he raised his eyebrows.

"Frodo wouldn't have gotten far without Sam." Frodo continued, now smiling even more warmly to his friend. "Now Mr. Frodo, you shouldn’t make fun. I was being serious." Sam said, after having almost frozen to a statue because of Frodo's show of friendship.

"So was I." Frodo laughed a little, as he turned around to walk again.

Gandalf dismounted from Shadowfax, turned around & wandered up to Rash & Valerie, whom were in conversating with Gimli & Legolas. Rash saw the white robes of the wizard approaching in the corner of his eye & turned to face him. "That robe of yours is awful shiny, it hurts my eyes." The knight scoffed, as he took a couple of large steps, meeting Gandalf halfway. The wizard smiled at the humorous remark. Rash embraced him & almost made Gandalf disappear under his huge mass of armor. "You really should get rid of all that armor, Razjaralor. It's unbecoming of your true might & stature." Gandalf said as he tried to slip out of the almost suffocating grip that Rash held him in.

Gimli, Legolas & Valerie reacted. All turned their heads to look at Gandalf, especially Valerie seemed rather confused & curious. Gandalf looked in turn at the three others. "Why are you looking at me that way?" He asked with a barking voice.

Valerie raised one of her eyebrows & put her hands on her hips. "Razjaralor?" She tilted her head to the side & her eyes were glued on Rash as he stood with his back to her. He slowly turned his head, trying to look inconspicuous.

Gandalf reacted as he made the connection, he gave off an innocent laugh. "Ah! Well, you see. Being born anew somewhat shakes the memories up a little so-" He started speaking as he put his staff to the ground nervously. "That is my name." Rash now turned around, not reacting in any certain way. He just looked calmly at Valerie. Gimli & Legolas looked at eachother, then tried not to get involved by looking around at all the dead Uruk's lying around.

"We came up with Rash as a moniker to him. You see, we cannot let his name slip to any tongue, since knowing the true name of a Maiar is truly a weakness. That's why we haven't told you, or anyone else for that matter." Gandalf said, now seemingly confident in his own words again.

Valerie understod very well about the risk of talking about a Maia's real name. Out laod and in the open. Where anyone could hear and make spells upon the name. A knot build up in her throat, and fears that someone with power would create a spell with his name, and Akandir too.

She nodded, nor would she, Legolas or Gimli speak of his real name.

"I think Rash, suits you better." Valerie's eyes lend on the knight again, a slight smile seen on her lips. But she was right. The name Rash, was for them his real name, even if it's only a nickname for him. At least for Valerie, who had been by his the longest, after Gandalf.

She had and will always call him by his name, Rash. Who she had first met in The Shire, and who's she spend all this time together with.

The company had to continue as Sauron was getting stronger. Gandalf, Rash, Valerie, Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli had moved to the hill with their horses, as they looked towards Mordor. "Sauron's wrath will be terrible, his retribution swift. The battle for Helm's Deep is over. The battle for Middle-Earth is about to begin. All our hopes now lie with two little hobbits. Somewhere in the wilderness." The white wizard spoke.

At the exit to the Osgiliath sewer, we see a sleeping Sam and a dazed Frodo. He takes a peek at the Ring, kept on a chain around his neck. Frodo puts the Ring away as he hears someone approaching.Gollum peeks down at them, form the caves opening. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up, sleepies! We must go, yes. We must go at once." He said and Sam awakes, and looks at a weary Frodo.

"Haven't you had any sleep, Mister Frodo?" Frodo shakes his head. "I've gone an' had too much. Must be getting late." Sam said to him, "No. It isn't. It isn't midday yet. The days are growing darker." Mount Doom shakes the surrounding landscape. "Come on! Must go, no time!" gollum hurried, "Not before Mister Frodo's had something to eat." Sam was worried about him, and he would not leave before Frodo had ate something.

"No time to lose, silly!" Gollum whined, as he wanted to get going, to get closer to get the ring back for himself.. Sam opens a pack and hands Frodo some bread. "Here." Frodo takes it, but he looked worried about Sam now. "What about you?" He asked him, who smiled. "Oh no, I'm not hungry. Leastwise not for Lembas bread." Frodo frowns. "Sam."

"All right, we don't have that much left. We have to be careful, or we're goin' to run out. You go ahead and eat that, Mister Frodo. I've rationed it." Frodo eats the bread and Sam packed the things, smiling. "There should be enough." Frodo looked up at him with a brow rised. "For what?" He asked. "The journey home." Frodo looks amused at Sam's optimism.

"Come, hobbitses! Very close now. Very close to Mordor. No safe places here. Hurry!" Gollum was such in a rush to get going, but the hobbit's didn't think about it as they followed the lead into Mordor.

The Return of the King

A small group of riders move through the forest. Éomer, Théoden, Gandalf, Rash, Valerie, Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli. They look around warily, as the low sounds of lumbering trees are heard around them. The end of the forest, followed by Isengard, comes into their view. Hobbit laughter is also heard as the company move to their laugher.

It was not but only, Merry and Pippin. Who sat on top of the Isengard storeroom, feasting. "It's good. Definately from the Shire." Merry said, "Longbottom Leaf, eh?" The hobbits nod and grins. "I feel like I'm back at the Green Dragon." Pippin said, while he smoked his pipe. "Hmm, Green Dragon." Merry asked and looked at the pipe Pippin was smoking, wondering what kind of thing he got.

"A mug of ale in my hand, putting my feet up on a settle after a hard day's work." Pippin grinned, "Only, you've never done a hard day's work." Merry said and smoked his pipe.

The company appear and approach, the crumbled gates encircling Isengard. Merry and Pippin spot the company from the distance. "Welcome, my Lords.. to Isengard!"

The company grins to see them, with the spirit they had seen before in the two.

"You young rascals! A merry chase you've led us on, and now we find you feasting and... and smoking!" Gimli spoke aloud. Pippin chuckled and stood up. "We are sitting on the field of victory, enjoying a few well-earned comforts. The salted pork is particularly good." He almost started to dance with joy on the rocks, the two hobbit's was sitting on.

"Salted pork?" The dwarf smiles, but now Gandalf was getting impatiently. "Hobbits."

Merry looked at the white wizard. "We're under orders from Treebeard, who's taken over management of Isengard." The group approaches Orthanc, the tower of Isengard.

Treebeard wondered up to the company. "Young master Gandalf, I'm glad you've come. Wood and water, stock and stone I can master, but there's a Wizard to manage here, locked in his tower."

The group now looks around, uncomfortable. "Show yourself." Aragorn yelled out. "Be careful; even in defeat Saruman is dangerous." Gandalf warned him, and Gimli added his word. "Then let's just have his head and be done with it." He barked. Gandalf shook his head. "No, we need him alive. We need him to talk."

Valerie sat on her horseback, and she glanzed up to see something on the tower. She grabbed Rash by his shoulder, as her eyes where locked on the tower infront of them. Now everyone looked up aswell.

A white figure appeared above them, and looking down to meet their eyes. It was not but only, Saruman himself and Gríma from Rohan, hiding behind his master.

Gandalf looked up at Saruman with waryness in his eyes. "Be careful. Even in defeat, Saruman is dangerous." He said silently, trying to keep his voice from reaching Saruman who stared down at them. "Well then let's just have his head and be done with it." Gimli said with a grumpy tone. He drew for snot & spat at the tower. "No, we need him alive. We need him to talk." Gandalf said with a commanding tone as he looked at Gimli.

"You have fought many wars and slain many men Theoden King and made peace afterwards. Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace, you and I?" He spoke with a voice that boomed down from the tower. Theoden however, would not accept any kind of offer coming from the herald of Sauron.

"We shall have peace! We shall have peace when you answer for the burning of the Westfold and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg, are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows, we shall have peace!" Theoden yelled out aloud furiously, spitting as he did. The hate within him was strong & the speech was enough to send shivers down Rash's spine.

Saruman sneered at the response from Theoden. "Gibbets and crows! Dotard! What do you want Gandalf Grayhame? Let me guess, the key of Orthanc? Or perhaps the keys of Barad Dûr itself? Along with the crowns of the seven Kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!" He shouted as he changed his focus to Gandalf.

Gandalf did not hesitate. "Your treachery has already cost many lives. Thousands more are now at risk. But you could save them Saruman. You were deep in the enemy's counsel." He shouted back, hoping that Saruman would see reason.

"So you have come here for information. I have some for you." Saruman boomed back as he pulled out the palantir. He let it sit in his hand, outstretched. "Something festers in the heart of Middle Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the great eye has seen it! Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon." He sneered with confidence.

"You are making a mistake, old friend." Rash spoke aloud. He was not angry or filled with ill will. "Does your loyalty really stretch so far as to completely disregard the wishes of our lords? We were sent here for a reason, Saruman. That reason was to help the citizens of Middle-Earth, not destroy it. What has Sauron promised you to make you follow him, one that is corrupt & flawed beyond reason? One that is not equal to either you, me or Gandalf?" At that moment, Saruman pulled back the palantir for a moment & almost seemed to hesitate, his sneering expression turning into one of thoughtfulness.

But then, he seemed to return to his spiteful appearance again. "The old, washed out wolf. Your powers of persuasion won't work on me so easily. Did you sway the young girl beside you, too? Perhaps you have already bedded her, considering your history?" Saruman smiled darkly.

Rash looked to the side of the tower, taken aback for a moment. He was saddened at the response. Even if anger took hold in her heart, Valerie still had a small blush reach her cheeks as she looked at Rash. It was true, but what Saruman did not know was how old she really was, or who she really was. Saruman turned his focus to Gandalf again.

"You are all going to die! But you know this don't you Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept from the shadows will never be crowned King." He looked at Aragorn for a moment, disgusted. "Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those who are closest to him, those he professes to love! Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death." His words cut deep, deeper than Gandalf would have expected. But he knew that he couldn't give in to his taunting.

"I've heard enough! Shoot him! Stick an arrow in his gob!" Gimli roared, pulling his axe from his back & shaking it in the air angrily. "No! Come down Saruman and your life will be spared!" Gandalf pleaded with his old friend.

"Save your pity and your mercy. I have no use for it!" Saruman reacted violently & raised his staff, shooting off a beam of energy towards Gandalf. Gandalf raised his own staff, and a shield completely negated the beam. He looked disappointed at Saruman.

"Saruman! Your staff is broken!" Gandalf shouted calmly. Saruman's staff started to glow a bright light in his hands, then disintegrated from a small explosion. Saruman was shocked & taken aback, stepping backwards abit.