𝐈𝐋𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄̈ || A.

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟒

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.·:*¨༺ 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 4 ༻¨*:·.
°°••....••°°

THE NAZGÛL

Back at Minas Tirith it is dark. Catapults fire balls of flame over the walls. The trolls all pull on a rope each which suspends Grond on its scaffolding. They pull the battering ram back as the Orcs continue to chant. It is released and crashes hard into the gate which shudders with the impact. "Back to the gate! Hurry!" Gandalf yells. Archers and Gandalf rush to defend the gate. Grond is released a second time. The gate shudders. "Steady!" he says. "Steady!" Iladya calls. With a mighty crash the battering ram breaks through the centre of the gate. "You are soldiers of Gondor. No matter what comes through that gate you will stand your ground," Gandalf speaks.
     Grond hits the gate once more. It bursts open and in charge Cave Trolls brandishing huge maces. Gandalf looks alarmed. "Volley! Fire!" he shouts to the archers. Iladya loads her bow and shoots the troll. They fire into the Trolls and the infantry lower their spears in defence. Orcs advance on them and there is fierce hand-to-hand fighting. The Trolls follow up swinging their maces from side to side sweeping aside all opposition.

Fireballs continue to rain down on the city. Gandalf made his way to the walls. "Retreat! The city is breached. Fall back to the second level. Get the women and children out. Get them out. Retreat.'' "Come on, come on!" They hurry people through the gate before closing it. "Move into the city. Kill all in your path," Gothmog speaks. The Orcs move into the city killing everyone they come across.
     "Take them down!" The soldier yells. Women scream as they try to get away. Men are butchered. "Fight! Fight to the last man. Fight for your lives," Gandalf commands. "Gandalf!" He manages to attract Gandalf's attention. "Gandalf! Denethor has lost his mind. He's burning Faramir alive!" Gandalf grabs Pippin by the arm. "Up! Quickly!" He swings him up onto Shadowfax. "Iladya!" Iladya glances over her shoulder and runs up to them. "Brego!" She mounts her horse.
     They gallop towards the upper levels. Suddenly as they come out of a tunnel The Witch King alights on his fell beast in front of them. He holds his staff across the front of him. "Go back to the abyss! Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your master!" Gandalf shouts. "Do you not know death when you see it, old man?" The Witch King bellows. Another Nazgûl joins the Witch King. The Witch King points to Iladya. "Take the she-elf."
     "This is my hour!" He draws his sword which bursts into flames. Gandalf's staff bursts asunder in his grasp throwing him and Pippin from Shadowfax's back. "Gandalf!" "You have failed! The world of men will fall.'' He lifts his sword but a horn sounds in the distance. He turns to it and listens, looks back at Gandalf and then flies off on his beast. The Nazgûl roars at Iladya, who dismounts her horse. "Go, Brego," she whispers. "Gandalf, Pippin, go!" Gandalf seems to hesitate but Iladya glances over her shoulder. "GO!" She roars. Gandalf and Pippin hurry away. Iladya draws both her swords from her back. The nazgûl laughs in mockery and dismounts its fell beast. ''You think you can defeat me?'' it bellows. ''Try me,'' she sneers. She waits for its attack and swiftly parries it. The nazgûl keeps attacking, with his sword or his fist. Iladya took a full blow in her stomach. She flew away, colliding with the wall. She grunts as she coughs.
     She gets back on her feet. She pants as she readies her swords. The nazgûl continues attacking. It starts exhausting her, she knows that. The Ringwraith knows that too. Iladya takes hit after hit. She staggers back on her feet. ''You are coming with me,'' it snarls and gives her a final blow. Iladya falls unconscious. The Ringwraith laughs maniacally and walks back to its fell beast. It motions to the she-elf. The fell beast allows its master to mount him before the beast takes Iladya in its claws before flying back to Mordor.

Meanwhile, back in the Tombs of the Kings Denethor empties a jug of oil over his head. Faramir is also covered in oil. ''Set a fire in our flesh!'' Denethor demands. He stands above Faramir with his arms extended sideways. The soldiers advance on the pyre with torches in their hands. Suddenly the door bursts open Gandalf is there. Denethor turns to look at him. ''Stay this madness!'' Gandalf shouts. Denethor grabs a torch and stands with it in his hand. ''You may triumph in the field of battle for a day, but against the power that has risen in the east, there is no victory!'' Denethor snarls.
     He drops the torch on the timbers, which catch alight instantly. Gandalf grabs a spear off a guard at the door and gallops up to the pyre. He knocks Denethor off the pyre to the floor. Pippin jumps from the back of Shadowfax onto the top of the pyre, he struggles but manages to roll Faramir off the top of the pyre onto the floor. He uses his hands to douse any flames that have caught on Faramir. Denethor jumps up! ''NOO! You will not take my son from me!'' Denethor yells and struggles with Pippin. ''NO! Aahh!'' Pippin yells.
     Gandalf rides up on Shadowfax who kicks Denethor away back onto the pyre. ''Faramir!'' Denethor yells. Faramir opens his eyes and looks at his father. ''Aaaaah!'' He catches on fire, he jumps off the pyre and runs up the corridor, he runs all the way along the forecourt and falls from the end of the parapet a ball of flames. ''So passes Denethor, son of Ecthelion,'' Gandalf says.

The Witch King flies over on his fell beast whilst a Troll attacks the locked door with his mace. On the other side of the door Gondor soldiers stand in readiness. Pippin and Gandalf sit at one side together. Pippin looks at Gandalf. ''I didn't think it would end this way,'' Pippin says. ''End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take — Pippin listens intently — The grey rain curtain of this world rolls back and all turns to silvered glass. And then you see it.'' ''What? Gandalf? See what?'' ''White shores and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.'' He smiles at Pippin. ''Well — he smiles back — that's not so bad.'' ''No. No it isn't''
     Back at the door the soldiers are trying to prevent them breaking through. Gandalf nods encouragement at Pippin. Pippin closes his eyes, trying to gain more courage. ''Where is lady Iladya?'' Pippin suddenly remembers. Gandalf looks around and sighs. ''Let us hope she is in safe hands,'' Gandalf whispers, yet he knows Iladya will not return for now. ''I should never have let her handle that beast alone,'' he mutters, tightening the grip around his sword. He mutters a small lament for Iladya before focusing on the door.
     ''Whatever comes through that door,'' Gandalf commands, ''you will stay your ground. You will not abandon your position!'' Pippin grips his sword as he feels his heartbeat beating in his throat. ''You will stay your ground,'' Pippin mutters, trying to gain confidence.