Chapter 12

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Everything stops around me. When Haldir gasps in pain, it wakes me up from my shock. I lunge forward and catch him before he falls to the ground.

"Mellonamin..."
(My friend)

Between Haldir's far away look to his heavy, ragged breathing; I can tell that the effort of just saying a word is wasting half his energy.

"I found you to late. Haldir, amin weera.", I apologize in his mind.
(I'm sorry)

"No, you promised to see me later in battle. Not to find me. You see me now."

"Don't leave."

"Boe i waen. You will live through all this. You have been like muinthen nín. Savo lass lalaith."
(I must go. My sister. Have joy and laughter)

"A-m-ber...", he croaks out, blood gurgling in his mouth.

He looks around in horror, and it is then that I notice all the dead elves around us. Haldir is going to be joining them soon.

"Shh..." I try to relax him, "Amin sinta thalialle e dagor."
(I know your strength in battle)

He skims his shaking fingers through my tangled hair once. I then kiss Haldir's forehead as the light fades from his eyes.

"Quel esta, Haldir."
(Rest well)

A ghost of a smile forms at the edge of his lips. Haldir's breathing stops as his now blank eyes stair into my tear-stained ones. Aragorn kneels beside me and closes Haldir's eyelids. I lay down his body and turn away. Uruk-hai come near us and Aragorn picks up my fallen sword.

"You must keep fighting. For Haldir.", Aragorn says strongly, holding out my sword.

As I take the hilt, his hand encloses over mine in sympathy.

"Follow me.", he says, running to a ladder.

I kill all the Uruks in the way, jumping on the ladder Aragorn just jumped on.

"You're insane.", I hiss as the ladder falls.

"Jump!", he yells as we almost hit a cliff.

We jump together. Aragorn falls on his side as I land on my feet. I help him up, and realize what this insane plan was for.

"A shortcut.", he confirms my suspicions, gesturing to a door at the side.

We open the door and enter the keep. The sound of iron and metal clanging against each other hurts my ears. King Theoden and his men are trying to defend the gate from the swarm of Uruk-hai breaking in. I go over and fight with them.

"We can't hold them much longer.", Gamling tells the King the truth.

"Well hold them anyways!", Theoden barks.

"How long do you need?", Aragorn asks, breathless from fighting the Uruks back.

"As long as you can give me!"

I turn as an Uruk swings it's spiked club at me, ducking last second. Then Gimli charges, cutting the Uruk right in half with his axe. Its guts spill out around us.

"Ugh!", Gimli exclaims in disgust.

"Amber, Gimli!", Aragorn calls over the two of us.

We sneak out the same door Aragorn and I entered less than 4 minutes ago. Peeking behind the wall, I see the Uruk-hai attack the entrance 3 feet away.

"Come on. We can take 'em!", Gimli says eagerly.

"It's a long way.", Aragorn replies.

"Toss me.", Gimli murmurs.

"What?", Aragorn asks, unsure if he heard Gimli correct.

"I cannot jump the distance." Gimli explains hurriedly, "You have to toss me."

As Aragorn is about to toss Gimli, he stops him.

"Eh... don't tell the other elf." Gimli says.

"Uuma dela.", I say quietly, even though Gimli doesn't understand any elvish.
(Don't worry)

"Huh?"

"Don't worry." Aragorn translates, "Not a word from us."

Aragorn throws Gimli and jumps after. I leap off the ledge. We all fight the Uruks at the front of the gate. A ladder falls, squishing the Uruk-hai below. Looking up, I see Legolas try to shoot the chains off more ladders. As the men try to block the gate from the inside, Gimli, Aragorn and I continue to fight.

"Aragorn, Amber, Gimli!" Theoden calls, "Get out of there!"

"Aragorn!", Legolas shouts from above, throwing down a rope.

I climb the rope as swiftly as I can. Legolas starts to pull, with Aragorn holding on tight to Gimli and the rope. Reaching the wall, I jump over. I help Legolas pull the rope. When they make it to the top, Legolas grabs Gimli and I help Aragorn over. We take on the Uruks around us.

Going over to a ladder, I use all the strength I have to cut the chains with my sword. The huge ladder falls down. The satisfying yelp of pain from the Uruks below tells me I managed to crush a few. Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn also take down a few ladders. Unfortunately, more ladders come up to replace the fallen ones.

"Fall back, they have broken through!" King Theoden roars, "The castle is breached! Retreat!"

The four of us kill any Uruk in our way when we run to the gate. Inside, Theoden greets us with depressing news.

"The fortress is taken. It is over."

"You said this fortress would never fall while your men defended it. They still defend it. They have died defending it!" Aragorn remarks, "Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?"

A loud bang from outside the gate echoes in the silent, fear-stricken hall. King Theoden doesn't answer.

"Is there no other way?", I repeat Aragorn's question harshly.

"There is a passage. It leads into the mountains." Gamling answers, "But they will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many."

"Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass." Aragorn orders Gamling, grabbing him by the shoulders, "Barricade the entrance!"

"So much death." the King states, all hope drained from his voice, "What can men do against such reckless hate?"

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Mellonamin: My friend

Amin weera: I'm sorry

Boe i waen: I must go

Muinthen nín: My sister

Savo lass lalaith: Have joy and laughter

Amin sinta thalialle e dagor: I know your strength in battle

Quel esta: Rest well

Uuma dela: Don't worry

~Talia Spirit

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