The Black Knight

Chapter 27:

We reach the battlefield just as the Orcs are starting to fall to the forces of the Rohirrim. I rush down the hill with Aragorn and Gimli at my side.

"I am going to beat you today!" Gimli says as he throws himself into the throng of Orcs.

"Not if I can help it!" I yell as I fly past.

I keep count as I fire at the Orcs, frantically searching for Faylen. Up ahead I can see bright, auburn-blonde hair shining and move towards the figure before stopping in my tracks. Rumbling comes from beneath my feet and I look towards the direction of Mordor to see man and beast coming our way.

The Mûmakil.

Aragorn joins my side as we run towards the new force, the Rohirrim charging at them as well after regrouping. The oliphaunts begin to take out a good chunk of our forces. The riders need to be taken down and set myself on just that, beginning to shoot at them and the oliphaunts's tough skin.

"Fifteen, sixteen," I count while continuing to shoot.

"Seventeen!" Gimli shouts nearby while dealing with some Orc.

I smile and turn in time to see one of the beasts collide into another one, both falling while shaking the ground. Gimli and Aragorn fight nearby but the Mûmakil still outnumber us. Time passes yet only half of the forces are taken down.

"Twenty-nine!" Gimli shouts again while helping Aragorn take down a rather large Orc.

I turn and see one of the oliphaunts headed right towards me.

"Legolas!" Aragorn shouts with a nod towards the beast.

Challenge accepted.

I rush to meet the beast and swing up onto its tusks. Easily I leap onto its leg, the tough skin giving my feet some grip, and grab the arrows imbedded in it. I use the arrows as hand and foot holds to move up the side of the beast to meet some of the Southern Mûmakil at the top. Before they know it, my arrows meet them and they tumble off the beast.

"Thirty-three, thirty-four," I shout as motivation to keep going with each kill.

With a few quick moves the men and their platform on the beast's back are off. I run across its back to the head where I notch three arrows and shoot it down into the oliphaunt's skull. It slowly begins to fall with a roar and I slide down its trunk to land safely in front of Gimli.

"That still only counts as one!" he says angrily. "Come on, then! Come on!"

A new group of Orcs are moving towards us as the army of the dead moves to take down the enemy inside Minas Tirith. A wave of heat suddenly blows past me and I turn to see a circle of fire burning at the edge of the fighting. I can't believe my eyes when I see Faylen inside of it, fighting against a man who is wearing armor similar to what Sauron has appeared in before. I instantly know that it is Faylen's father she fights against. I move her way but dig my heels in when I see the few Orcs who try to break through the circle of fire only end up burned to ash with contact.

"Aragorn!" I shout.

He turns my way from nearby and I nod to the circle. His face turns from concentration to horror as we both take in Faylen who I know is fighting for her life.

I need to get to her. She shouldn't have to stand alone.

I head in her direction and throw myself right into the mass of Orcs blocking her from me.

* * * *

My father flicks his wrist and the invisible wall of undying force comes at me even harder. I throw a shoulder against it and break through once again. Everything, even sorcery if that's what this is, has a weakness. I grip Lightsbane even harder and push the darkness in my thoughts away no matter how strong it is in the presence of his evil. With focus I can push back the hallucinations. My sword hits against his with a clatter and I move to block his blows with my own. All my training comes into play as I know I cannot lose this fight, especially since the battle around us isn't close to being finished. Orcs throw themselves into my fire to only get turned to ash. I move to block a blow to my stomach only to still get backhanded on the face. I stumble back, feeling the bruises and blood on me.