Element of the Heart - A Lord of the Rings/Legolas Fanfiction

Chapter 43: Revenge

A dark cloud from Mordor stretched over Minas Tirith, preventing the slightest ray of sunlight from breaking through. The gates of the White City had been smashed open by the Grond, a hundred-foot weapon forged by the orcs with the sole purpose of breaking into the city. Orcs and cave trolls scrambled in, getting deeper into the city and overpowering the men by sheer number, but the knights stood their ground. Gandalf swung his staff and his sword while shouting commands.

In the skies above, the Witch King rode on top of the fell beast, circling the lower levels of the city. The fell beast swooped down and speared a man with its teeth. Those who did not fall prey to the monster's jaws and talons were smacked into the air with its giant, leathery wings. The Witch King hissed a command and the fell beast shot into the air.

Estelwen ducked her head, narrowly missing the tail of the fell beast as it swooped by. She felt her stomach turn when she saw a knight's pale head rolling on the ground – one of the many that the orcs had catapulted into the city before they launched their attack. Estelwen's eyes trailed the Witch King, who was flying to the higher levels of the city. Hearing a heavy grunt, she ducked her head and stabbed behind her. She quickly spun around, decapitating another orc that had followed up from behind. She looked back at the higher levels of the city, spotting a white figure on horseback with a hobbit behind him. The fell beast half-circled the figure before diving in.

"Gandalf!" Estelwen's screaming was useless. There was too much clanging, yelling, and distance. She could not go after him. There were dozens of orcs charging into the little plaza where she and ten other knights were.

In the air, the Witch King was still smoldering with hate. The she-earthborn had refused to bind with his magic, as powerful as it was. However, when his dark magic had surrounded her, it had found something unexpected: a flaw in her light. It was only a small darkness, but it still had the chance to fester and grow. The Witch King took advantage of it and his own hatred, placing a curse that deprived the earthborn of her element. Of course, she would not be allowed to escape death either, not after this war. For now, though, the Witch King had his intentions set on a certain, meddlesome white wizard: the only one who had ever bound his magic with the she-earthborn's element.

The Witch King dove in. The fell beast landed on a stone ridge in front of Gandalf, causing the rock hard stone to tremble. Shadowfax reared before stumbling back. Gandalf firmly held his reins, yet allowing him to back away.

Behind Gandalf, Pippin felt his pulse race. There was nowhere to run.

Gandalf held out his staff horizontally. "Go back to the abyss! Crawl into the nothingness that awaits you and your master!"

The fell beast leered towards them. The Witch King reached to his side. "Do you not know death when you see it, old man? This is my hour!" He pulled out his sword, which now had a steel blade. Pinched screams from the air were absorbed into the blade and the fire that now surrounded it.

Gandalf flinched, feeling the horror of every king who lost his kingdom, of every man who died, of every woman who lost a loved one, and of every child who would live in a permanent nightmare. The darkness was too strong. His white staff shattered in his hands, and he tumbled off Shadowfax.

Pippin also fell. The fell beast began to move towards Gandalf. Pippin scrambled to his feet and yanked out his small sword. "Gandalf!"

The fell beast roared, and Pippin froze.

The Witch King tightened both hands around his sword, his mask faced towards the wizard. "You have failed. The world of men will fall."

A horn was blown, causing the Witch King to turn around. "Rohan!" he hissed.