All Shall Fade (LOTR-Wattys 2014)

All Shall Fade - Chapter 4 - Alone in the Dark (LOTR)

All Shall Fade

Chapter 4

Alone in the Dark

There were two things that scared me more than anything else in the world and those were small spaces and total darkness. As the mist crept towards us over the top of the hill, the five cloaked black figures emerged from the darkness on all sides of us, each wielding a long sword. The second I saw them, any light seemed to be sucked out of the place, and the air grew close, making me feel claustrophobic. They walked slowly, each step making my skin prickle with chills, and I suddenly felt horribly alone, even though I could feel my four companions huddled around me. Something told me that these menacing forms were more than just teenagers out to cause trouble in the forest. My eyes darted from one figure to another. They were shadows that appeared darker than the darkness that surrounded them. Like black holes in the night. The chill of their presence seemed to pierce through me, striking fear into my already terrified heart and I thought I heard them hiss quietly. I forced down a tremble of fear as they advanced upon us, slowly, as if they knew we could not run. They had us trapped.

“Back you devils!” Sam cried, rushing forwards and brandishing his sword, one of the figures tossed him aside as if he weighed nothing, and I heard him hit the ground some distance away as the figures continued. Their focus seemed to be fixed on Frodo as Merry and Pippin tried to block their path, but the too were forcefully pushed aside. I knew I should do something to protect Frodo, so I stepped in front of him, trying not to feel intimidated.

“Get back.” I growled as forcefully as I could. They didn’t even hesitate, so I reached up, aiming to draw back to hood of the closest figure – maybe if I could get a face to identify one of them, we could press charges for assault later. It seemed like a decent plan, until something slammed into my side and I was brutally thrown to the hard stone ground. I lay there, stunned and winded as they moved towards Frodo, although two lingered back, one close beside me, but it paid no attention to me. I saw Frodo drop his sword and it skidded across the stone towards me as he fell to the ground and looked up at the figures.

“Frodo…” I croaked as I saw him reach for the ring that hung around his neck, and he slipped it onto his finger. I had to blink to make sure I’d really seen what had just happened. He disappeared. I watched as one of the figures reached inside its cloak and drew out a smaller blade than the sword it held. In a mixture of horror and confusion, I saw him stab at thin air with the smaller blade. I heard Frodo cry out from somewhere, and I knew that they’d done something to hurt him. In a movement that felt dream-like and unreal, I grabbed Frodo’s sword that lay nearby, and plunged it into the leg of the nearest shadowy person. The second I did, a fire-like pain shot up my arm. It shrieked and I screamed, covering my ears as it turned to me, raising its blade and bringing it down. I barely blocked it as I lay on the ground, but the force of the blow shattered the blade of my small sword, and then I rolled away, just as I heard a yell. Both the figure and I turned to see Strider appear wielding a flaming torch and his sword, and he instantly started fighting the black figures. I didn’t have time to observe, as my nearest enemy resumed its activity of trying to kill me. I rolled away from it, dodging its blows and futilely trying to block with what was left of the jagged blade. I didn’t really know what I was doing; I was just relying in instincts. The only other time I’d handled a sword in my life was a large, ornamental katana that had hung on the wall in my grandparent’s attic. When I was six years old I lifted it down, and had managed to accidentally give myself a long cut running down my left arm. Twelve stitches and one life-long scar later I’d promised myself that I’d never touch a sword again. Oh well…

I was abruptly jerked back to the present as what was left of the blade was knocked out of my hand, and the figure raised its sword, preparing for the finishing blow. ‘Oh God, I’m going to die…’ I thought as I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the pain, but instead I heard a clash and another ear-splitting shriek. I looked up to see Strider locking blades with my attacker and forcing it back just as I heard Sam cry out.