Iron Stars

Chapter 28: The First Strike

TA 3019
Rohan

The next day, the people set off again, heading to the sanctuary they thought would keep them safe. Nyx rode atop Varno, staying up near the front by the Fellowship and some of the guards. The sun was out that day, warming her back and Varno's fur as they traveled. The great wolf seemed to enjoy the feeling as he stretched his head up, earning a laugh from his rider.

Nearby, Éowyn and Aragorn walked in peaceful silence till Éowyn asked, "Where is she? The woman that gave you that jewel?"

Nyx guessed she was referring to the Evenstar, a gift from Arwen. Aragorn walked for a bit in silence before finally replying, "She is sailing to the Undying Lands, with all that is left of her kin."

Éowyn fell silent and then glanced over at Nyx. "Are you not sailing for Valinor?" she asked.

"No. I still have a task here. Besides Valinor and the white shores are not within my reach," Nyx fell silent then, recalling the prophecy they had been told. That the Valar had fenced those lands against them. "Neither my first home here or across the sea is accessible to me, Lady Éowyn."

The lady was about to reply when Nyx noticed Legolas standing atop a hill in front of them, looking slightly anxious. It coupled with the feeling a fight would break out soon, so she rode up to join him. As she approached, a scream rent the air, causing her to dig her heels into Varno's side though the wolf had already started running.

Legolas turned back down the hill. "A scout!" he yelled down to the people. Glancing across the other side of the hill, she saw the captain of the guards laying dead, a warg with an arrow in it nearby.

Nyx yanked out her bow, firing her arrows right alongside Legolas. The duo's elvish eyesight aided them, and orcs fell long before they reached them. However she knew hand to hand combat was inevitable. Nocking one more arrow, she pulled the string back and fired. The arrow whistled the air before embedding itself in a warg's eye.

Some of the Rohirrim rode up beside her and Legolas and she noted Legolas swinging atop his horse. Nyx put her bow away and then grabbed her sword, allowing Varno to lead her to the greatest threats. After all, the wolf and her had battled together for many years, she needed only to set him loose at this point.

Sweeping down the hill, Nyx's blade rang bloody as it cut down orcs. She focused her attention on the wargs however, knowing an orc on foot was far less dangerous than a rider. She noticed Gimli and Legolas fighting nearby as well as Aragorn still atop his steed. She spun her blade over her head, taking off the head of a rather nasty looking orc.

Just as in Moria and upon Amon Hen, orcs took heed of her and many fled from her gaze. Those who dared face her wrath ended up dead and bodies followed in her wake. She rode past a pair of downed soldiers, cutting down a trio of orcs near them. They sent her a grateful nod before returning to the fight.

She noticed Boromir nearby and sent one of her small blades into the head of an orc behind him. The orc screamed as the poison entered its system and Boromir soon put it out of its misery.

However Nyx also saw Aragorn, his arm trapped to the side of a warg. Without needing to say anything, Varno tore across the ground, swiftly gaining ground on the warg barreling to the cliff face. His paws dug into the ground, dirt being thrown up behind him as he raced onwards.

Taking one of her poison coated daggers, she carefully aimed, knowing if she messed up, Aragorn would die. Then she threw it. Through the air it whistled, straight on its course. It tore straight through the strap binding Aragorn to the beast and into the side of it.