A Risk And What It Brings

The Fate of Osgiliath

The Rohirrim had stopped and set camp for the night.
Aragorn slept by himself in a tent, and suddenly awoke.
"My lord," said a messenger. "You have a visitor."
"Who is it?"
"He says he is a friend. Elrond of Rivendell."

Boromir sat beside his brother, talking of old times past.
An arrow whistled, and flew past Faramir's head.
Boromir turned and looked at the river Anduin.
Ships, full of Orcs and their captains came down the river.
Boromir brought together the factions, and planned a defensive attack.

Aragorn stood, eye-to-eye with the man he'd loved as a father.
"You are sure?"
"Yes, the time has come. You must take the Paths of the Dead."
Aragorn nodded to himself.
"I shall set out tonight."
"Wait," said the Elf.
"You will need this."
Elrond handed Aragorn the reforged Sword of Narsil, a king's weapon.
Aragorn prepared his horse for the ride, and was ready to depart when a hand touched him on the shoulder.
"Didn't think you could leave without a companion?"
It was Legolas.
"I've heard of Dunharrow. No man should go there alone."

The three made their way to the Black Gate.
Gollum lead Sam and Frodo all throughout the cross-roads, and now they were here at last.
"How do you suppose we'll get in, Mr Frodo?"
Sam's question was followed by silence.
Frodo felt so weak. The Ring was weighing on him.
"Mr Frodo?"
"I do not know. It is guarded. Too well, perhaps."
Gollum merely paced.
"We've lead you to the Gate, we has! We's done what Master has asked."
Frodo groaned.
"We can not go in! We'll be seen."
"There is another way," said Gollum.
"Why didn't you mention it before?" asked Frodo in an increasingly threatening voice.
"You didn't ask! We leads you there!"
Gollum ran the other way, the two hobbits in pursuit.

Arrows flew, swords clanged, shields blocked and blood was spilt.
The  fight had gone mostly successful, until the second ship landed, and the Orcs overcame them.
Boromir ran about and defended the once-great city, trying his best to keep it together, Faramir at his side.
They were being overrun.
Faramir looked up, and saw a figure that destroyed his hopes and crushed his faith.
The Nazgul. The servants of Sauron, flew about on their Fell Beasts.
One wore a glorious metal helmet, and he was the lieutenant of Sauron himself. He was the Witch-King of Angmar.
"Fall back!" shouted Boromir.
"Fall back to Minas Tirith!"
Faramir lead the small army back to the city, as the Orcs shot at them.
Boromir, not evacuating the city without a fight, threw his shield at a Fell Beast.
The ghastly creature flew back in surprise, knocking over a tower that held some Uruk archers.

Denethor paced the Hall.
He knew the City was doomed.
Sauron had shown him things through the Palantír, things he told none about.
The Steward of Gondor had lost all hope.
Outside, Gimli, Pippin and Merry stood at the edge of the tower and watched the battle happening miles away in Osgiliath.
"They are fleeing!" exclaimed Pippin.
Denethor heard and came forth, seeing for himself.
It was true. The city had been taken.
By a force led by the best of Sauron's servants.
He saw the horses fleeing towards the White City, lead by his sons.
Denethor looked to the mountains to see the beacons of Minas Tirith were lit.
He looked back to Osgoliath, seeing it in ruin and despair.
He hoped the king of Rohan would remember their alliance.
They should have been here by now, he thought.
"Theoden's betrayed me," he said simply.

The Man and the Elf crossed through Dunharrow on their horses, ensued by none other than silence.
The two came to a dark hall in the side of the mountain, and entered.
They could see nor hear a thing when they entered.
Legolas drew his bow, ready to fight at the first sign of trouble.
They were surrounded soon, by green, pale figures. Ghosts.
Figures that were cursed to never rest until they finally fulfilled their oath to help Gondor.
The King of the Dead came before them, threatening them to leave.
All before Aragorn drew Narsil, showing the king's weapon.

The three walked along the dark road, going where Gollum lead them. The horrid city of Minas Ithil lay before them, holding horrors and scary things that the hobbits knew not.
"Nasty place, full of enemies," said Gollum.
Gollum lead the hobbits to the mountainside, with a secret staircase.
Sam and Frodo had no idea of the horrid creature's true intentions.
They hadn't known that he intended to bring them to the tunnel of Cirith Ungol, and feed them to Her.