Saving Boromir (A Boromir love story)

Chapter 7: Into the Darkness

Chapter 7- Into the Darkness

As Autumn brought her greatsword down on the tentacle, she realized that even if she was saving Frodo from this appendage, the Watcher had many other arms. But it was too late. The blade cut cleanly through the mangled flesh and the creature recoiled with a scream.

Boromir and Aragorn spun around with drawn weapons and spotted the woman who was now splashed with dark blood. "Get the Hobbits out of-!" She started to yell, but a pair of thick arms shot out of the water and grasped Frodo by his torso and Autumn by her ankle.

She didn't even have time to scream as her sword fell from her hand and clattered to the ground. She felt the blood rush to her head and her heart jump to her throat, as the Watcher raised Autumn upward and away from the ground. This couldn't be how it was to end.

"Frodo!" the Hobbits yelled in fright. "Autumn!"

"Strider!" Sam exclaimed, swinging his sword at the tentacles that were rising into the air.

"Aragorn!" Autumn finally managed to yell. She was high now, perhaps fifteen feet and below her was a steep drop off where the shadow of the menacing Watcher waited below. This couldn't be how it was supposed to end.

On the shore, Boromir ushered the Hobbits toward the Mine. "Stay here!" He ordered frantically trying to keep his eyes on Autumn's flailing form. Her wild black hair was swirling around her opal skin and her mouth had curled into a frightened "o".

Legolas had already notched an arrow and both Men had unsheathed their swords. But as they charged into the water, a massive creature reared itself out of the water. It dangled the small Hobbit before its open jaws- but Strider got there first.

Aragorn sliced the tentacle that held Frodo in half and caught the Hobbit in midair as he fell. "Hurry!" he shouted, pushing Frodo toward Gandalf.

Legolas chopped another tentacle to pieces with his twin daggers as it lashed out at him.

Meanwhile Boromir brought his blade down on the giant cephalopod's arm that held Autumn and reached out for her hand. The creature screamed out in pain and temporarily lowered the Woman's body. She gripped onto his hand with all the strength she could muster. "Don't let go!" Autumn pleaded with wide, gray eyes. Butt the creature reared, throwing Autumn away from her Companions and into the water below.

As her body made contact with the water, she realized just how cold the lake was. Her body felt like it was pierced by a thousand needles and her breath left her. The shock of hitting the water so hard, in addition to the dropping temperature caused her to loose her bearings.

When all hope seemed lost, the familiar voice of a man penetrated her mind: You are of the Valar, Lady Autumn. You will not give up. Not when your journey is just beginning. Follow the light.

The moonlight above seemed to gleam through the murky water and show her the way to safety. She surfaced, coughing and sputtering. She threw her arms forward, making a desperate attempt to swim back to shore.

But she wasn't fast enough.

With another swift jerk, she was dragged back under the surface of the water and raked across the rocks on the bottom of the lake. She screamed into the water, exhaling her remaining oxygen, and flailed about in active drowning. Quite suddenly, the tentacle released her. When she broke the surface, she gasped; coughing and sputtering as she inhaled air.

"Autumn!" Boromir was yelling, striding toward her and grasping her hand with his own. "Hurry!" He shouted, pulling her away from danger.

The Man of Gondor dragged the exhausted woman out of the churning water and up the slope onto dry land. She tripped once, but Boromir steadied her and quickly pushed her toward the open mouth of the cave.