All Shall Fade (LOTR-Wattys 2014)

All Shall Fade - Chapter 45 - Final Countdown

All Shall Fade

Chapter 45

Final Countdown

The ride to the boarders of Mordor was long, taking up most of the day, until the sun was well past it’s midpoint in the sky, and yet the ride didn’t seem long enough. No words passed between the members of the small party that rode at the head of the army, yet the minutes flew by, counting down to the end.

The grassy plains of Gondor had long since given way to dusty, barren wastelands and the mountains that guarded Mordor which had once seemed so far away loomed up before us. My hands tightened their grip on Aduial’s leather reins, turning my knuckles white as I uneasily glanced around at the mountains. I wasn’t sure what I expected the Black Gate to look like, but I had a feeling I’d know it when I saw it.

It turned out I did. I couldn’t help but gasp quietly as from between two craggy mountains an impossibly high black wall rose up in front of us, flanked by two spiked towers. I bit my lip, glancing across at Aragorn’s stony expression, which didn’t falter, even at the sight of the gate.

We kept getting closer and closer to the gate, and I felt like I was suffocating. The mountains were closing in around us and I couldn’t escape. As our small army drew to a halt, everything seemed to go silent, I felt like someone had plugged my ears or something – that is, until Pippin broke the bubble of silence.

“Where are they?”

I jumped as his small voice seemed to echo against the massive gateway, I couldn’t figure out why I was so jumpy, I knew what was coming, I guess I just didn’t know when I should expect it.

Aragorn turned back to us, his eyes meeting mine for a second, giving me only a moment to try and figure out his unreadable expression before he turned away and dug his heels in Brego’s sides, sending the horse trotting forwards, towards the gate. I didn’t remember making a conscious decision to follow him, but next thing I knew I was following his hoof prints alongside Gandalf, Pippin, Eómer, Merry, Legolas, Gimli and a standard-bearer from Gondor as we advanced upon the Black Gate. The horses cantered straight up to it, stopping only about twenty metres away. Looking up, I could see that the gate almost blocked out the dark sky, trapping us here. I bit my lip anxiously as I glanced at where Aragorn’s horse paced in front of the gate.

“Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth!” He yelled suddenly up at the gate, issuing his challenge. “Let justice be done upon him!”

There was silence for a moment, and I wondered if anyone had heard him – it was a long way to the top of that gate after all. I flinched as a grinding sound erupted from behind the gate, that began to creak and groan, as if it were about to fall on us. Aduial nervously danced on the spot beneath me, and I stiffened as the massive solid wall split down the middle and began opening outwards. I could see a dark figure astride a horse emerging from behind it as the gate halted in its path, leaving a gap that was wide enough for a single person, but looked like a hairline crack in the gate. The figure and the horse advanced towards us, stepping into the dull light and revealing that both were heavily armoured – the man being totally covered in black metal apart from a gaping hole in his helmet, revealing a grotesque mouth pulled into a sadistic smile. The skin around it was horrendously split and cracked, so that the dark, pinkish and bloodied flesh was exposed around the yellow-stained, pointed teeth. I grimaced, feeling my stomach churn at the mere sight of the person that stood before us. Obviously Mordor had no dental hygiene regime. I glanced across at the faces of my companions, which were also contorted into expressions of disgust.