A/N: Just a quick word. First I wanted to thank you all for reading this book. I seriously never thought that this book would have readers who would patiently wait for new chapters. I have seriously given up continuing this book, but a few comments made me continue again. I'm really sorry for the late updates and grammatical mistakes for I don't have much time to edit each chapter.
Thank you again and enjoy reading :)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
It was some hours that they were riding along a barren mountain path. It was a narrow passage between high walls of rock on each side that didn't let the light of the sun warm the coldness of the road. Everywhere looked gray and lifeless. A few trees that had dared to grow on that wasteland, had creepy branches more than gloomy dark leaves. No sound could be heard except the howling of wind between the jagged rocks.
"What kind of army would linger in such a place?" said Gimli while looking around in disgust.
"One that is cursed." answered Legolas. "Long ago the Men of the Mountain swore an oath to the last king of Gondor, to come to his aid, to fight. But when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire, they fled, vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. And so Isildur cursed them, never to rest, until they had fulfilled their pledge. There is a prophecy about them." he said quietly and then began to sing the words of the old prophecy. "Who shall call them from the grey twilight? The forgotten people. The heir of him to whom the oath they swore. From the north shall he come. Need shall drive him. He shall pass the door to the Paths of the Dead."
"Oh!" said Gimli and looked at Aragorn. The old words now had taken meaning.
Nestarel looked at Aragorn's grim face. "Why had Lord Elrond come to see you?" she asked.
"To give me this." said Aragorn and drew his sword. Only then did the other three realize he was carrying another sword. The sword shone in the deem light proudly. Ancient Elevn words had been carved on its sharp blade.
"Narsil." murmured Nestarel astonished to see the old famous sword.
"Andúril, the flame of the west, made from shards of Narsil." said Aragorn and put the sword back into its sheath. He didn't take his look from the road. His face became colder. "He said that Arwen is dying," he said after a moment and his hold on the reins become so tight that his knuckels turned white. "That as the darkness continues she will fade away."
Nestarel became sad. "So she chose mortal life." she whispered.
"I told her to leave." said Aragorn and shook his head. Nestarel knew what turmoil was in his heart.
"Aragorn!" said Nestarel softly trying to calm him down. "We will find this army and they will help us in the battle. Please, have hope."
"We may find this army, yes. but I doubt they will answer to me who only carries an old sword." said Aragorn bitterly and rode faster than them.
"Or maybe they will, Melon." said Nestarel quietly, while watching his back.
"He is angry," said Legolas beside her. "I can really understand her. But the news that Elrond brought, gave him a well-needed push to go forwards and accept his title. The only thing that force him to accept his title was a threat to Arwen's life. Love can make us be strong."
It was a few hours before dusk that they reached the end of the road and they unmounted. There at the end, There was a hole shaped like a hole that looked like a gate to utter naught. Around the door was covered with skulls of those who had dared and ignored the warning that the door was giving. All around the frame ancient rune was running on the stone.
"The very warmth of my blood seems stole away." murmured Gimli while looking around warily.
Legolas read the hieroglyphs above the door. "'The way is shut. It was made by those who were dead, and the dead keep it. The way is shut.'" he read the dreadful words.
Just then, as a sign, a freezing breeze blew from inside the cave and brought along the whispers of the dead. The horses neighed and went wild and ran in the other direction.
Aragorn turned to the door. His jawline was set with determination. "I do not fear death!" he said firmly and went inside.
Legolas turned to Nestarel who nodded to him. "I will be fine. Don't worry. At least I know no Orcs are here." she reassured him, well aware of his worry for her fear of caves.
"Stay close." he said and they together walked inside of the mountain.
Nestarel could still hear Gimli's grumble from outside. "Well this is something unheard of!" he cried desperately. "An elf will go underground where a dwarf dare not! Ah, I'd never heard the end of it!"
Soon Nestarel felt him walking beside her and Legolas. Inside of the cave was freezing cold. Whispers could be heard from far and close. Soon the four of them were walking together. Aragorn had taken a torch from the wall and had lit it and was walking in front. He stood in front of a door and kept the torch in front of it. Nestarel scrunched her nose and stood closer to Legolas. A countless number of skulls had been piled in that room.
Nestarel looked away and saw something else. "Legolas, look!" she said and Legolas followed her gaze.
"What is it? What do you see?" asked Gimli a little bit frightened. His pupils were dilated and he was shivering a bit.
"I see shapes of men and of horses." answered Legolas. He and Nestarel were the least affected between the four, for spirits of men had no fear for them.
"Where?" asked Gimli.
"Pale banners like shreds of cloud. Spears rise like winter-thickets through a shroud of mist. The dead are following. They have been summoned." explained Legolas and began to walk with Nestarel and Aragorn.
"The Dead? Summoned?" asked Gimli frightened. His axe was ready in his hands. "I knew that. Very good. Very good. Legolas!" He shouted the last word and ran after the others.
Soon a mist crept into the halls and covered the ground. Shapes of arms would come out of the mist and clung to them.
Suddenly a sound of crushing something under a foot echoed into the cave. "Do not look down." warned Aragorn and walked faster. The ground beneath their feet was covered with bones and skulls. Legolas and Nestarel's light Elven feet didn't make any sound but Gimli's heavy and strong feet crushed the bones under his feet and he began to run after the others.
They ran and suddenly the narrow corridor ended and they found themselves in a great space. The high ceiling of the cave was high above their heads. On their left side, a castle was carved into the rock. Some stairs were leading inside the building. On their right, there was a cliff showing an abyss to nothing. Nestarel winced a bit at the sight, remembering Gandalf's fall.
"Who enters my domain?" a harsh voice echoed. They turned and saw a sprite of a man standing in front of the stairs.
Aragorn stepped close. "One who will have your allegiance." he answered.
"The dead do not suffer the living to pass." said the ghost. He looked to be the king.
"You will suffer me!" said Aragorn through gritted teeth. The king began to laugh harshly. His nasty laughter filled the big cave and slowly, on the other side of the cliff, a city began to shape from a sickly green mist and thousands of ghosts marched against the four friends.
"The way is shut." the king began to sing as the dead soldiers encircled them. "It was made by those who are dead. And the dead keep it."
Legolas put a protective arm on Nestarel's arm and tried his best to keep her away from the dead.
"The way is shut. Now you must die." said the king and he approached Aragorn. Legolas shot an arrow at King, but the arrow passed right through the ghost's head.
Nestarel put a hand on Legolas' arm. "Our weapons are useless." she said and gazed at Aragorn. "There is only one who can fight them."
"I summon you to fulfill your oath." said Aragorn.
"None but the King of Gondor may command me!" said the king as he sped towards Aragorn. Aragorn drew his sword. For a moment, Nestarel and Legolas could see the gleam of high kings in his intense eyes. The ghost swung his sword at Aragorn. Aragorn parried the blow with the Sword of Elendil, much to the ghost's surprise and grabbed the ghost's neck while keeping his sword there. "That line was broken." choked the king. "It has been remade." answered Aragorn firmly and pushed the ghost backward.
The ghosts stood still. "Fight for us, and regain your honor. What say you?" yelled Aragorn while surveying the dead soldiers. "What say you?"
"You waste your time, Aragorn!" said Gimli after a few moments of silence. "They had no honor in life, they have none now in death."
But Aragorn didn't listen. He walked around. "I am Isildur's heir." he said loudly. "Fight for me and I will hold your oaths fulfilled! What say you!"
The King of the Dead smirked and then began to laugh as his army began to fade, like mist in front of a hard wind. "You have my word!" shouted Aragorn despertly. "Fight, and I will release you from this living death! What say you?"
"Stand, you traitors!" shouted Gimli but it was too late. The cave was once again empty.
Suddenly the earth began to shake and skulls rolled on the floor. They turned to the breaking castle to see thousands of skulls flowing out of it.
"Out!" shouted Aragorn and Legolas pushed Nestarel towards the doorway on the other side of the cave. They ran but were nearly swept away by the river of skulls that has created a great waterfall made of skulls. The party fought their way through the sea of skulls and finally escaped to the outdoors.
They ran as the debris fell behind them and covered the corridor. Soon they saw the light of the day and a few minutes later they jumped out of the entrance and found themselves outside of the dreadful mountain.
The first thing they saw was dark and menacing clouds that had covered the sky in the south. As if on cue, the wind below and brought a distant smell of ash and fire. "Minath Tirith is burning." whispered Nestarel sadly.
Aragorn fell to his knees in despair. The weight of failure was so heavy on his shoulders. Legolas walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
Just then, They heard a sound behind them and they turned around. Aragorn stood too. The King of the Dead appears before them. "We fight!" he said.