The Princes Shadow

Chapter 25

Get ready cause this chapter is gonna be a long one

Emerin POV~

We rode on for hours through the mountain pass. Nothing to see but grey rocks that towered over us, and scarce trees. As we rode Gimli wondered aloud,

"What kid of army would linger in such a place?" 

Legolas answered his question, "One that is cursed. Long ago, the men of the mountains swore an oath, to the last king of Gondor, to come to his aid, to fight. But when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire, they fled, vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. And so Isildur cursed them," As Legolas spoke, he observed our surroundings carefully, until his eyes landed on me, and he smiled, "Never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge." He looked ahead again, "Who shall call them from the grey twilight? The forgotten people. The heir to whom the oath they swore. From the north shall he come. Need shall drive him. He shall pass the door to the path's of the dead." We rode up a steep hill which seemed to have more gravel on it and was more worn down. We came across a patch of a few scraggly trees that stood at the entrance of a door. The door was ornamented with skulls and markings. I could not help but feel unsettled. We dismounted our horses, knowing that we would soon have to set them loose, and stalked towards the eerie entrance. As we neared it, Gimli shuddered,

"The very warmth of my blood seems stolen away." He whispered.

Legolas tilted his head upward to read what was unscripted above the entrance, "The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead. And the dead keep it. The way is shut."

What sounded like a person gasping for breath came from the cave, causing the horses to pull, and run away, abandoning us,

"Brego!" Aragorn called out to his horse. Legolas grasped my forearm tightly. I could tell it was because of the obvious danger that was in the cave. Aragorn turned to the entrance,

"I do not fear death!" He proclaimed, and ran into the dark, gaping entrance. Legolas glanced at me, and released my forearm, moving his hand to gently hold my hand. He looked at the entrance, and we both began to walk in after Aragorn. I heard Gimli grumbling about us going without him, and then shortly heard his heavy footsteps following us.

We ventured deep into the cavernous dark, stone walls wrapped around us. Aragorn, at the head of our group, had his sword raised, peering into the continuing darkness. As we turned a corner, I noticed that it was overflowing with skulls of men, decaying on top of each other. I also saw ghost like figures around us, too faint for Aragorn or Gimli to regard, but I knew that Legolas could see them as well,

"What is it?" Gimli asked. He was behind us, "What do you see?"

"I see shapes of men." Legolas answered, "And of horses." I began to notice them as well, as we continued ahead,

"Where?" Gimli looked around,

"Pale banners, like shreds of cloud," I detailed what I saw, "Spears rise, like winter thickets through a shroud of mist. The dead are following," I warned Gimli, who kept glancing around, axe raised,

"They have been summoned!" Legolas exclaimed,

"The dead?" Gimli cried, "Summoned? I knew that." He tried to act blasé, and chuckled to himself. I walked ahead with Legolas and Aragorn as Gimli muttered to himself. He soon realized that we had moved on. I heard his scuffling footsteps, as he looked for us, "Legolas!" I heard him running towards us. We walked through a passageway that had mist and foul things clawing at us. Grabbing at our ankles and wrists. I tried to avoid them, but they lingered. The shadowy souls moved on. Aragorn glanced downward, and looked up,