A Second Chance

A Second Chance Part 15

The sheer scale of this battle is actually lost on me. It's quite funny really I knew it was terrifying, I knew we were against ten thousand of those disgusting beasts but it was impossible to think about or see and so it funnelled down to tiny pockets of fighting. It was like looking through a microscope at something and focusing on only that, I did not have time to think about the size of what we faced because I could only concentrate on little pockets of fighting. It was easier that way mostly, I think, because if I thought about the reality I would give up and just lie down to die where I was.

It is not long before I lose sight of both Legolas and Gimli, I had yet to see Aragorn and I had also lost sight of Haldir, which is annoying because I was trying to save him as I did Boromir, speaking of whom, I haven't seen him either. Panic is beginning to build in me as I realise how desperately outnumbered I am, and out skilled when I hear Aragorn shouting and just about have time to think, oh shit, when I am thrown into the air and everything becomes silent and grainy.

I struggle to my feet and realise several things, I do that a lot, if only my brain let me figure one thing out at a time things might go a little more smoothly. Aragorn was a few feet to the left of me, unconscious it seemed, Haldir was above me to the right chopping efficiently through the enemy, Legolas and Gimli were trying to cut their way towards Aragorn and I and perhaps most worryingly, the Uruk Hai were pouring through the now gaping hole in the wall. Everything is still grainy and my head hurts and I can see people screaming and yelling but can hear nothing but a high-pitched whistle in my ears which is driving me crazy.

Suddenly everything stops. It is the strangest thing that has ever happened to me and that's saying something given the events of the last couple of months. I gaze around in bewilderment at the figures of everyone and thing around me, people part way through falling or attacking, frozen in place, rocks still in the air and then Galadriel standing before me, that makes me scream out loud.

"Be calm child," her ethereal voice sounding so out of place in the midst of all this death and destruction that it is absurd.

"What is going on?" I manage in a strangled whisper,

"Look around you Finley, look at what you need to stop," she says gesturing with her arms and I want to be sick, bile rising in my throat as I gaze upon the wide staring eyes of the fallen, men and elves and children... gone. Their last moments ones filled with pain and despair and fear and it made me angry and scared and hurt all at once.

"What can I do to stop this?" I say, angry that she is expecting me to do what Aragorn and Legolas and even she could not.

"Focus your energy Finley, through your sword, move the things around you to destroy the enemy and you may save another life that should be lost tonight," she says her voice becoming barely audible by the end.

"BUT HOW...?" I scream but it is too late, she is gone and things are beginning to move again, seemingly unaware they had been frozen at all. I close my eyes and focus everything I have but nothing happens and so I scream out in frustration and as I do so I hear Legolas call my name and everything changes.

Energy suddenly pulses through me like lava, so hot and so quick it burns and makes me scream. My body is shaking and my sword I suddenly realise is glowing as are the rocks around me and so picking up my arm I throw it out towards the Uruk Hai and to my utter amazement the rocks follow, what the fuck is happening to me? I don't give myself much time to focus on that question though as the enemy aim their attention at me and away from Aragorn thank God and so I let out another yell and throw both arms towards them, hurling rocks and debris at them and killing as many as I can before I quickly aim one at the enemies attacking Haldir who has the good grace to look briefly grateful and surprised before he retreats with his soldiers. I have by now begun to build the wall back up making it harder for the Uruk's to get in and therefore giving our army, or what was left of it, time to escape back to the keep. I can feel my energy waning now though and something is dripping from my nose down my chest.