Elf Dream

Chapter 11. Minas Tirith

Ch.11 Minas Tirith

Enyala's POV

  “Who enters my domain?” a sickly, hissing voice asked.  

“One who will have your allegiance.” Aragorn answered.

“The dead do not suffer the living to pass.” the ghost King snarled slowly.

“You will suffer me!” Aragorn replied in a commanding tone. The King’s evil laughter rang out through the cavern, echoing off the walls. The fog that had rolled in while we were talking dissipated, revealing rank upon rank of spectral warriors! They had demonic faces, their fleshless bones moving in unnatural ways. They were clad in tarnished chain mail armor, and held rusted weapons or tattered banners. Aragorn looked grimly on at the King. He smiled nastily back.

“The way is shut . . .” he repeated. He glided towards Aragorn. “It was made by those who are Dead and the Dead keep it…”

“So we’ve learned.” I muttered to Legolas. The soldiers formed a circle around us.

“The way is shut.” he continued. “The way is shut. Now you must die.” Legolas pulled an arrow from his quiver and shot it through the Ghost King. Our eyes widened as it passed straight through him, shattering against the wall behind him. Aragorn moved towards the King, his eyes locked in him.

“I summon you to fulfill your oath!” he roared. The King snarled and swept his sword at Aragorn’s head.

“None but the King of Gondor may command me!” Aragorn raised his sword against the attack. With a clang, the blades met in midair. The ghosts stared at him in disbelief.

“It cannot be-that line was broken!” Aragorn grasped the King by his neck, holding him aloft.

“It has been remade!” And all was silent. “Fight for us and regain your honor!” he cried, waving his sword above his head. “What say you?” Silence. “WHAT SAY YOU?!” Aragorn roared.        

“Aghh! Your wasting your time, Aragorn.” Gimli said, his voice breaking the silence.

“They had no honor in life, they have none now in death.”

“I am Isildur's heir.” Aragorn told them, yelling. “Fight for me and I will hold your oath fulfilled. What say you?” The king stared at Aragorn.

“We will fight.”

    Legolas’s POV

We walked out of the cave, much to my amazement, unharmed. I was feeling much better about our chances of survival now that we had thousands of undying soldiers loyal to us.

“We are not dead.” Enyala observed. “I thought going in there would be a death trap.”

“For many, it was.” I murmured.

“Where are we going?” asked Gimli. I chuckled.

“I thought it was obvious. "We are going to the boats that the corsairs are sailing to Minas Tirith. With our army, we take out the boats, sail them down as planned, and take them by surprise.”

“How many is them, exactly?” Enyala inquired. “The city could be taken while we are sailing.”

“It could be,” Aragorn answered, “But then why would they have been hired? I do not know how many there will be, but I suspect at least thrice the number we fought at Helm’s Deep.”

“Thirty thousand?!” I asked in disbelief.

“Maybe more.”

We spent the rest of the walk in silence, trying to wrap our heads around the number. Three of Helm’s Deep! There was no way we could survive, ghosts or no. Enyala seemed to read my mind. She took my hand.