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Chapter 23: Ride now for ruin! The battle of Pelennor Fields





Minas Tirith was finally breached after a full night of fighting. Dawn was now approaching the besieged kingdom of Gondor, as flaming boulders continued to demolish the once great and beautiful city, destroying and razing the buildings to rubble. The Orcs endlessly assaulted the soldiers, jumping and ambushing them from above, having the element of surprise. Some of the foul creatures even bit deep into the exposed necks of the men, like a horde of bloodthirsty vampires, wanting fresh, sweet blood.

The men fought back endlessly, trying to get to the second level, despite the carnivorous carnage all around them made by the Orcs. And the Trolls made short work of the fleeing soldiers, throwing them around like insignificant rats. Aoshi had gotten the better of the Orcs that were trying to ambush him as they did to the other men, swinging his twin kodachis, slicing them in the chest and groin.

The women and children continued to scatter throughout the streets, being flanked by Orcs and a couple of Wargs that ran wildly within the city.







Meanwhile, Pippin continued to rush frantically down through the streets of the breached Minas Tirith, trying desperately to find Aoshi and Gandalf. The Hobbit needed their help to save Faramir from Denethor's act of madness from within the tomb of Minas Tirith.





"Aoshi!" Pippin continued to call out, trying to find him and Gandalf, "Aoshi! Gan--"

An Orc from above then ambushed Pippin. The Hobbit struggled with the Orc, as it was about to stab him...



But, then with a quick swipe of a kodachi... Aoshi, riding with Thendred, cut the creature's head off, shrugging it off Pippin.



"Pippin," said Aoshi in alarm, "what are you doing here?"

"Aoshi!" cried Pippin with relief, "where's Gandalf--?"

"Fight! Fight to the last man!" Pippin hears a commanding voice as he looked on...



And saw Gandalf flailing about Shadowfax with his staff.

"Fight for your lives!" Gandalf cried to the men.



"Gandalf!" Pippin shouted as he began to run towards the commanding wizard, "Gandalf!"

Gandalf, upon hearing the Hobbit call out for him, turned in his direction, seeing him rush over, with Aoshi following behind.



"Gandalf! Denethor has lost his mind!" Pippin cried urgently, telling the White Wizard as well as Aoshi, "he's burning Faramir alive!"

"No!" gasped Aoshi.

"Aoshi, help everyone to the second level!" ordered Gandalf.

"I will," nodded Aoshi.

"Up, quickly!" Gandalf said firmly to Pippin as he grabbed the Hobbit's arm, pulling him up.





Gandalf and Pippin, raced together up to the fourth level of the city to save Faramir...



But a pair of black wings flew in front of the wizard and Hobbit, blocking their path. It was none other than the feared Witch-King of Angmar upon his fell beast steed. The winged terror perched onto the walls, and proceeded closer... to face the White Rider...





"Go back to the abyss!" Gandalf spoke arduously, waving his staff defiantly at the Black Rider, ".../fall/ into the nothingness that awaits you and your master!"

"/Do you not know death when you see it, old man?!/" the Witch-king said contemptuously at Gandalf, which made Pippin scream in anguish, "/this is MY hour!/"



The dreaded Ringwraith lord drew his blade... and flames ran down upon it, which began to suck the air around it. Gandalf and Pippin braced each other to stand their ground... preparing themselves in this climactic moment...





CRACK!



But Gandalf's staff shattered like shards of glass in his hands, expelling a white flash that blew him and Pippin off of Shadowfax and crashed onto the ground. Pippin kept rolling away from Gandalf, before picking himself up again.





"Gandalf!" the Hobbit cried to the wizard.



Gandalf tried to stand... but the fell beast roared out at the wizard, pushing him back to the floor. Pippin then drew his sword and charged to Gandalf's defense, yet another roar from the winged menace froze the Hobbit in fear. The wizard was now completely at the wraith's mercy...



"/You have failed,/" the Black Rider declared victoriously to Gandalf, "/the world of Men will fall... and you have met your end!/"

Gandalf could only stare helplessly in despair at the wraith, watching him raised his sword, to deal the final blow...





ZIP!



An arrow suddenly pierced the wraith's chest that made him wince and wail, backing away from Gandalf.



"I wouldn't call this your hour just yet," a defiant voice spoke.

Pippin turned his head as he gasped in surprise, "...Aoshi!"





Aoshi Shinomori had come to the rescue. However, he was not mounted onto his horse, Thendred. Gandalf was also surprised at the unexpected intervention of the ice-eyed Shinobi.



"You must be the Witch-King of Angmar," said Aoshi to the Black Rider, completely unafraid of his deathly presence, "you couldn't be anymore pathetic the way you are right now."

"/What insolence!/" the Wraith snarled, along with his fell beast roaring, at Aoshi, but he was left unaffected by their frightening cries.

"I thought I told you to help with the evacuation," said Gandalf.

"My apologies," replied Aoshi, "I have a certain habit of being rebellious with the orders I'm given."

"Go back, Aoshi," advised Gandalf, reasonably, "it's too dangerous, you don't stand a chance."

"I know, Gandalf... but I'm prepared for the worst," resolved Aoshi, "I'll hold him back while you and Pippin ride up to the top to save Faramir."

"What about you?" asked Pippin.

"You're wasting time!" responded Aoshi, sharply, "forget about me and get to Faramir before it's too late."

"But we can't just leave you!" cried Pippin despairingly.



Aoshi fully appreciated Pippin's concerns, but ignored him nonetheless, because he was set on his intent to give the Hobbit and Gandalf the opportunity to save Faramir from being burned alive, by delaying the Witch-King.



The Black Rider then said, "/you can never outlast against me, you impertinent fool./"

"I know that the odds are against me," returned Aoshi, "but that doesn't mean I can't outlast you."

"/Then... you will die,/" declared the Witch-King...





Hhrrrrrrrrrooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!







A sound of a horn was heard in the air, that caught the attention of Gandalf, Aoshi, Pippin, and the Witch-King. The wizard's companions brightened in recognition, upon hearing the resounding cry of the horn... Gondor's last hope had arrived just in the nick of time...





"If my senses are correct, those are the horns of Rohan," Aoshi told the Witch-King, "Théoden has brought his army to defeat you. It seems that you will have to deal with us later, as you are the one to be leading your master's armies. If you don't return to your troops, you will lose any hope of capturing this city."

With a fierce snarl, the wraith replied, "/this is not over! I shall return to finish Mithrandir... and I will take great satisfaction in killing you myself."/

"We will be waiting," returned Aoshi with anticipation, as the wraith flew away...

















Hhhrrrrrrrrrooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





The horn blew once more, startling the Orcs that have just breached Minas Tirith. Gothmog, upon receiving the Witch-King's warning screeches, looked towards the hills of Pelennor Fields...





And saw a company of horses cresting the hill, just a few miles away. It was the company of Rohirrim that the Men of Gondor had been waiting for throughout their struggle against the vast armies of Mordor. And they had arrived, just as the new dawn was breaking. It was like a last dawn of hope that came upon Gondor, with the arrival of their Rohirrim allies. There were many riders of Rohan in number as they slowly approached the edge of the hill. Among them were...







King Théoden, son of Thengul... a man once enslaved by the spells of Saruman. Now freed from the treacherous wizard's thrall, the warrior king of Rohan comes to Gondor's aid, against the hordes of Mordor...



Sanosuke Sagara... survivor of the massacre of the Sekihoutai by the hands of the Imperial Army of Japan. Wielder of the Zanbatou and master of the rock-crushing Futae no Kiwami, this relentless, yet adventurous street fighter from Japan rides alongside Théoden to save Gondor, as well as his world, from the might of Sauron...



Hajime Saito... the former leader of the Third squad of the Shinsengumi. A lone wolf, determined to bring about his own brand of justice to Mordor, that of /Aku Soku Zan/...



Éomer, son of Éomund... the third marshal of the Riddermark, nephew to Théoden. A great, stouthearted rider, who fought against all oppression, even from Saruman's assaults made to his land, and at Helm's Deep. He helped his king fend off against the Uruk-Hai, even when his uncle thought otherwise... and now, he also fights alongside Théoden in this struggle...



Éowyn... shieldmaiden of Rohan, niece to King Théoden of the House of Eorl... a woman trained in the art of sword fighting. Théoden had ordered her to rule Edoras in his place but alas... she had wanted to fight alongside the men in battle, and longing for the love of the Dunedain ranger, Aragorn, who never returned her love. With the help of Misao, Éowyn had gotten her wish as she rode, adorned in armor, with a helmet to disguise her facial features...



Meriadoc Brandybuck... son of Saradoc, Hobbit of the Shire, called 'Merry', to his friends. This resident of the Shire traveled out of his home to become an esquire of Rohan. Also wanting to ride into battle, he rides with Éowyn, sitting in front of her, also against the wishes of the king. Théoden thought that he would be too much of a burden... but not for Éowyn as she had felt the same as Merry...



Misao Makimachi... the leader of the Oniwaban group of Kyoto. This female ninja Théoden had wanted her to look after Éowyn while in Edoras. However, she and Éowyn were two of a kind, as they were both adorned in their armor, successfully disguising themselves as men. Misao was also like Éowyn, as she wanted to help save her friends and her world... from Sauron's cruel tyranny...





All these fighters gathered from both worlds have arrived, along with the Rohirrim in this dire crisis, united in the common cause, in Gondor's hour of need. However... there were only 6000 of the Rohirrim. And as Théoden, and the others stopped along the edge of the hill...



They saw that the odds were not in their favor. There were still an estimated number of 152,000 Orcs, from the original estimation of 200,000 that they were against, despite the many enemies that were vanquished during the destructive siege at Minas Tirith. Éowyn, Merry, and Misao were by themselves as they saw, with wide-eyes, the overwhelming number of Orcs that they were up against. They all gasped in apprehension, as if a great weight of horror and doubt had settled upon them. The trio of willing fighters knew that this battle would not be so easy to win. The Rohirrim were about to lose what courage they had.



"Courage Merry," spoke Éowyn, placing her arm around Merry, "...courage Misao. Courage for all our friends."



Misao nodded in affirmation to Éowyn's gesture of courage. The valiant ninja then turned to the Orcs that were ready and waiting for them, as well as to the besieged city of Minas Tirith, fearing that she may never see Aoshi again.



'Lord Aoshi,' Misao thought dreadfully, '...I'm here for with you now. Please be okay.'



Merry took great heart in Éowyn's encouragement... as he recalled in his mind to what happened earlier in the Rohirrim's ride to Minas Tirith...







The Rohirrim took camp over by a stream before going the rest of the way. It was mid to late afternoon. Merry, Éowyn, and Misao gathered together, with their helmets off their heads. Merry and Misao sat next to each other, while Éowyn stood solemnly, yet close to her friends. All of them waited for the moment when the Rohirrim would ride out to Gondor...



"Take heart, my friends," Éowyn encouragingly said to Misao and Merry, as if she was trying to reassure herself mostly, "it will soon be over."

"The sooner the better," said Misao, a little doubtful in thought, "I just hope Lord Aoshi's all right. Because if anything happened to him... I'd probably want to throw my life away for revenge."

"...It is very likely that we may never survive this battle, Misao," consoled Éowyn, fully acknowledging the inevitable, to which Misao nodded.

"My lady Éowyn," interjected Merry, kindly, "you are fair, and brave, and have much to live for... and many who love you."

Merry then turned to Misao, adding, "and you, Misao... are very kind... and high spirited... and would be greatly missed if you were to die."



Éowyn and Misao became lightened to hear Merry speak so fondly of them.



"I know it is too late to turn aside," Merry went on, with courage, as well as despair, "I know there is not much point now in hoping. If I were a knight of Rohan or maybe a member of the Oniwaban group, capable of great deeds, but--I'm not. I'm a Hobbit... and I know I can't save Middle-Earth, or any other world for that matter."

Misao and Éowyn looked with great sympathy as Merry expressed his acceptance as a simple Hobbit, despite his simple courage to join into battle.



"I just want to help my friends, the ones closest to me, in fact," admitted Merry, in a low voice, picturing their faces, "Frodo... Sam... Pippin..."

Merry turned his head up and ended, "more than anything, I... wish I could see them again."

A pause came, and then Misao nodded, "yeah... I know just how you feel, Merry. It's just like how much I want to see Lord Aoshi again."

"...Thanks, Misao," replied Merry.



Misao then turned her head... and saw a company of horses, led by Éomer, descending down towards Théoden, who was feeding Snowmane. Sanosuke and Saito were close by, yet Sanosuke was next to the king, while Saito stood a few paces away, smoking a cigarette. Misao went up from her friends, moving towards Théoden and the others, while concealing herself behind a large rock.



"The scouts report Minas Tirith is surrounded, the lower level's in flames," Éomer reported, riding around Théoden, Snowmane and Sanosuke, "everywhere legions of the enemy advance."

"Oh man," said Sanosuke, in an urgent tone, "that means that we've been sitting on our butts while the Orcs burn Minas Tirith."

"Indeed Sanosuke," concurred Théoden, "time is against us. Make ready!"



Misao, hearing the pressing news, ran back to Éowyn and Merry, while grabbing her helmet.

"We're getting ready to leave, guys," said Misao, imperatively, "it looks like Minas Tirith can't hold out much longer."



Sanosuke gathered his Zanbatou, mounting upon Hasufel, as Saito snuffed his cigarette, mounting on Eothor, and Théoden mounted onto Snowmane, preparing to ride to battle...



"Prepare to move out!" called out Éomer to the troops.

"Make haste!" commanded Théoden, while fitting his helmet on his head and grabbing the reins to his horse, "we ride through the night!"





Hhrrroooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



The Rohirrim blew their trumpet horns in succession to one another, to signal the alert for imminent battle. Misao, Éowyn, and Merry, heeding the call of the horns, began to put their helmets back on their heads, masking themselves from the men once again...





As Éowyn fitted her helmet, she said firmly, "to battle."

"To battle," answered Misao.

"...To battle," reiterated Merry at the last.







Now, they were all there in the battle together. Merry, Misao, and Éowyn knew completely... that there would be no turning back.









Seeing the arrival of the Rohirrim, Gothmog moved about his troops to turn the flanks of his army to face this new threat.

"Form ranks, you maggots!" the Orc commander ordered gruffly, "form ranks! Pikes in front, archers behind!"









"This doesn't look good," said Théoden, with Sanosuke and Saito riding alongside him.

"They still outnumber us 100 to 1," said Saito, with a smirk, "I kinda like those odds."

Sanosuke smirked also, holding the Zanbatou high in his hand as he added, "oh yeah? Well me too, Saito."

"If that is so Sanosuke," said Théoden, firmly baring his teeth at the enemy, "then let's give them all a fight worth of remembrance."



Sanosuke and Saito nodded firmly to the king's ardor as they rode forth from the ranks of Rohirrim, towards the captains.



"Éomer," Théoden said to Éomer, "you and Sanosuke take your éored down the left flank."

"Gotcha," Sanosuke responded as he rode off with Éomer.

"Flank ready!" Éomer called to his squad...



"Gamling," Théoden ordered to him, "you and Saito follow the King's banner down the center.

Saito nodded as he rode off with Gamling...



"Grimbold," Théoden said to his third captain, "take your company right, after you pass the wall. Forth! And fear no darkness!

"Arise! Arise riders of Théoden!" Théoden cried out, riding in front of his riders, trying to bolster their courage... as Éowyn turned her head away, fearing that he would recognize her, "spears shall be shaken! Shields shall be splintered...!



"A sword day...!



"A red day...!



"ERE THE SUN RISES!"







The Rohirrim lowered their spears, pointing downwards at the armies of Mordor before the White city... as the Orcs did the same, raising their pikes above their heads as they knelt onto the ground, ready to repel the cavalry charge of the Rohirrim. Sanosuke then pointed his new Zanbatou down at the Orcs like the Rohirrim did, preparing to take them head on.



'You better watch out you creeps,' thought Sanosuke, with a wild smirk, 'Sanosuke Sagara's coming your way.'



Éowyn took a deep breath as she said to Merry, "whatever happens... stay with me, I'll look after you."

Misao turned to Éowyn and Merry and said, "you be careful, you guys."

"...You too, Misao," replied Merry.





Théoden then drew his sword, and rode forth in front of his riders, using his sword to bang and clatter loudly onto the tips of the spears in a salute, as he cried out...







"...RIDE NOW...!





"...RIDE NOW...!





"...RIDE...!





"...RIDE FOR RUIN...!





"...AND THE WORLD'S ENDING...!"







Théoden finished clattering his sword onto his riders' spears and turned to face the Orcs as he roared, "DEAAATH...!"



"...DEAATH..." The Rohirrim cried in response...



"...DEAATHHH...!" Théoden roared out, a little louder...



"...DEEAATHHHH...!"





As they were shouting... Éowyn gulped nervously, but tried to calm herself, telling her that she was ready and waiting for this day to come. Misao, however, maintained her cool, as she was hardened to fight in this battle...





"...DEEEAAAAAAAATHHHHHH...!" The king of Rohan roared his loudest a third time...



"DEEEEEAAAAAAAATTTTTTHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Merry, Éowyn and Misao cried out... along with the valiant Rohirrim, sending a brightened war cry throughout Pelennor Fields...



"Forth, Eorlingas!" Théoden shouted his command, gesturing his sword towards the Orcs, ready to charge into battle...





Hhrrrroooooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The horns of the Rohirrim sounded once more over Pelennor Fields...



"LET'S GO!" Sanosuke roared out...







And the charge began! Numbering 6000 or more... the Rohirrim roared out their resounding battle cries as they rode down Pelennor fields like a roll of thunder coming down the plains. Théoden... Merry... Misao... Sanosuke... and all the other Riders of Rohan were highly focused on the battle... though the odds were still against them... as the Orcs raised their arrows, ready to fire at the Rohirrim...



But despite that... the brave, stouthearted, ardent heroes of the Riddermark raised and waved their swords, spears and axes high in the air... as they did when they charged against the Uruk-Hai at Helm's Deep, ready to take the enemy head on. Many of the horse lords had their own ambitions and desires...



To prove how strong they can really be, like Éowyn and Sanosuke...

To destroy all evil that existed, like Saito...

Mostly, to save all that were dear to them, as they had friends in Gondor that they wanted to save, like Théoden, Éomer, Misao, and Merry.



And in this battle... they all used their different powers and aims, combining into one army, united under one banner in the fight against Mordor. The Rohirrim picked up more speed as they thundered down the hills and slopes of Pelennor Fields behind their king, in a great tide, trying to gain enough momentum... to trample the vermin of the Black land into rubble...







"Fire!" Gothmog ordered his archers... as they fired arrows that fell some of the Rohirrim soldiers, but kept going nonetheless...





"Deeaaaath!" Merry cried out, with unwavering bravery, as more riders fell before the arrows of the Orcs.

"CHARRRRGGGGEEEEEE!!!!!!!!" Théoden cried out louder, riding fiercely, without any slowing of any kind... towards the Orcs...





"Fire at will!" Gothmog ordered his archers, becoming alarmed. The Orcs then fired another rain of arrows, felling more of the Rohirrim that were around Sanosuke, Misao, and Saito...







But the Riders of Rohan did not slow, following their king into certain death. Now... the Orcs were afraid as they began to back off, not wanting to take on the Rohirrim. The look on Gothmog's face turned serious for the first time in the battle, as the Rohirrim rode aggressively toward them, making the ground shake violently beneath their feet...





"...YAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Sanosuke cried out as he held his large heap of steel high in his hands, preparing to sweep away the servants of Sauron...



Éomer roared the same as a nearby rider handed him a spear, preparing to skewer the enemy...



"AAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Misao roared out her hardest, like a true rider of Rohan, as she prepared herself, to crush the Orcs that were in her path...



Saito drew his sword, positioning himself in a Gatotsu stance as he roared out, "AKU... SOKU... ZAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNN...!!!!!!!!!"







...And they clashed!



The hoofs of wrath rode over Mordor's army, as the Rohirrim clove through the Orcs like a fire-bolt in a forest. They rode through the vast host of Mordor, using their weapons as needed, but letting the horses do the work churning the enemy beneath their fierce hooves. As they were doing this...



Sanosuke fiercely swung his Zanbatou through the ranks of the Orcs, hurling many of them into the air.

"Sanosuke Sagara, the scourge of Orcs... MAKES HIS APPEARANCE IN GONDOR!" Sanosuke cried out proudly, knocking more Orcs into the air, one by one.



Saito thrusted his sword into the Orcs, and turned, with his horse, sideswiping his attack into many other Orcs without pause. He continued using his Gatotsu like he had during both the Revolution and in the Meiji Era, trying to raise it to an ultimate power. Merry and Éowyn had begun stabbing their swords into the Orcs, and letting their horse trample onto the minions of Sauron that they came across. Misao was on her own as she used her spear to knock down the Orcs, and kicked them, while mounted.



"Kansatsu Tobikunai!" Misao hollered as she threw a slew of kunais at the Orcs, and also letting her horse squash them under its feet.



The Rohirrim had completely and utterly overtaken the Orcs with their massive, decimating assault at Pelennor Fields. The horses continued trampling upon the hordes of Mordor, dodging every attack that the Orcs made toward them. Théoden, Merry, and Éowyn, in their own respective squads continued to slice away at the Orcs with their swords. The sheer power of the Horse Lords proved to be unstoppable for the army of Sauron, though they had outnumbered the Rohirrim to begin with.



"DEATH!" Éomer roared out against the Orcs...











Disclaimer: The Lord of the Rings and RK are not mine. They belong to their authors, respectively J.R.R. Tolkien and Watsuki Nobuhiro. This fanfiction is created just for fun, not for any commercial purposes.



A/n: So, is this exciting enough for you, to see the great charge of the Rohirrim down Pelennor fields? For me, this part was the greatest moment in the entire trilogy. I had a feeling that I would post this particular chapter on my birthday, you know. And sometimes I wish I were at the end already. Anyway, please read and review, and wish me a Happy Birthday. I'm now 26 YEARS OLD!