King of the Dead

A week passed and Celine's group arrived at a mountain pass that would lead them to their destination when Gimli says, "It seems we are here but no one is there. So shall we go to Minas Tirith?"

Everyone looked at Gimli seriously as he just didn't want to enter a mountain again after what happened in Moria. The group could understand him since they almost lost their life in Moria but they needed to find the Army of the Dead.

"Sorry Gimli, but we need to find them," says Celine as Gimli sighs.

"It was worth a try," says Gimli as they descended into the mountain while holding some torches to light their path.

They walked when Legolas says, "It seems to quiet in here doesn't it."

"Too quiet for my taste," says Gimli not liking this whole mess with asking the dead for help.

"We need their help to win against Mordor, Gimli," says Aragorn when they stopped after hearing Celine's stomach growl for food.

"We should rest and eat something before we face them," says Boromir since if they need to fight they should be in their best condition.

They eat when Aragorn asks, "How are the other worlds you visited compared to this one?"

"I only knew one and it was a bit more advanced than this world. My sister would know more worlds since she was born and visited the other worlds my parents went to," says Celine as she bites into her Lembas.

"Are you thinking about joining your parents in their adventure once this is over?" asks Legolas worried as Celine thought for a moment making the elf nervous.

"I don't think so. I think my journey might end here for now," says Celine as Legolas sighs in relief making the other laugh by seeing his reaction.

They finished eating and began to move again. Aragorn was in front while Legolas was in the rear just to make sure they don't get ambushed.

Then the torches began to grow weaker and they heard whispers echoing through the cave as most began to appear that was trying to grab them.

Gimli was fighting the spooky most by blowing air at it while the others just used their arms or hands when Celine suddenly crushed something under her feet.

She looked down and saw that the floor was made out of skulls as she says, "Logan would like this place since he sits on a throne made out of bones and skulls."

"Great-Grandfather of your mother?" asks Legolas as Celine nods.

"Never seen the throne before but my parents always talk about it," says Celine as she Gimli now tried to move slowly not wanting to step on the remains of the dead.

But it was hard to miss the remains since they were everywhere on the ground. It was harder to find a blank spot to step than finding a needle in a haystack.

They advanced until they arrived at a large cave that seemed to be a Burial Ground for the dead when Celine says, "We must be in the right place."

"Who enters my domain?" echoes a voice through the cave making the group draw their weapon.

Suddenly a ghost appeared in their midst when Aragorn says, "One who will have your allegiance."

This made the ghost chuckle as he says, "The Dead do not suffer the living to pass."

"You will suffer me," says Aragorn seriously as the ghost begins to laugh out loud making his laugh echo through the whole cave while becoming only creepier the longer it went on.

Suddenly more ghosts appeared holding their weapons in hand marching towards the group when Boromir says, "I knew this was a bad idea."

"Who are you telling this. I was praying it before we even entered the damn mountain," says Gimli seeing the dead marching towards them.

"We need them to win the war," says Celine as she rams her sword into the ground making a small barrier made of light appear around the group.

"How long will this barrier last?" asks Legolas worried.

"It can last up to two days even longer if I use all my light to keep it up," says Celine as she saw the dead rush towards them.

"If you have an idea now would be the best moment," says Boromir looking at Aragorn when the ghost that was talking began to move forward.

"The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead. And the dead keep it," says the ghost as the others slowly approached the barrier when they suddenly came in contact with it they felt pain.

"We are now completely surrounded," says Gimli as he looked at Aragorn now.

"I'm working on it," says Aragorn as he was thinking what would be the best way to resolve this.

"The way is shut. Now you must die," says the ghost as every ghost hits the barrier with their weapons trying to break it.

Legolas releases an arrow that just passed the face of the speaking ghost when Gimli says, "In why shit did we get into now."

"Only Isildur's Heir can harm them," says Celine when Aragorn realized what to do.

"I summon you to fulfill your oath," says Aragorn as he was walking out of the barrier.

"Has he gone crazy?" asks Gimli seeing Aragorn face them head-on.

"None but the King of Gondor may command me," says the ghost when he strikes at Aragorn who parties the attack with Andúril before the ghost says in shock, "That line was broken."

Aragorn then grabs the neck of the ghost and puts his sword against the ghost's throat while saying, "It has been remade."

Then he pushes the ghost away and the other ghosts stopped attacking the barrier making Celine stand up releasing the barrier that was protecting them.

"Fight for us and regain your honor," says Aragorn as the dead were retreating a bit when Aragorn asks, "What say you?"

The dead were looking at Aragorn as he advanced between them while asking again, "What say you?"

"We are wasting our time, Aragorn. They had no honor in life, they have none now in death," says Gimli as he was holding Durin's Axe closely.

"I am Isildur's heir. Fight for me and I will hold your oaths fulfilled," says Aragorn as Boromir walked towards Aragorn's side followed by Legolas, Gimli, and Celine.

"What say you?" asks Aragorn again louder with determination making the ghost laugh again.

The ghost slowly began to fade away when Aragorn shouts, "You have my word! Fight, and I will release you of your living death!"

More and more ghosts faded away as Aragorn asks again when Boromir shouts angrily, "Stand, your traitors! Or are you going to betray the King of Gondor again!"

The most disappeared under their feet and it became quiet too quiet for Celine who says, "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Not only you," says Gimli as the ground was shaking and they heard the cave trying to break itself when behind the tomb thousands of thousands of skulls came through provoking a skull avalanche.

"Out!" shouts Aragorn as they run to escape the avalanche.

Celine grabbed Gimli by his waist as she behind Legolas while Gimli says, "I can walk for myself, girl."

"Just let me can't have the best friend of my brother die under an avalanche of skulls," says Celine as Legolas smiled at Gimli.

"Saved by an elf again. It's becoming a custom of you lately," says Legolas as a joke as Gimli growls at Legolas knowing it was a joke.

"Can we discuss that after we are out of here alive," says Boromir as they rushed out of the cave that was coming down over their heads.

Once out of the cave Celine puts Gimli down as she sighs in relief about their survival of this cave as well when she says, "That makes the second cave that we survive on this journey."

They then turn their eyes to the horizon finding a village that was burning while black ships were sailing the river up.

Aragorn loses his footing as he kneeled on the ground sadly when Boromir puts his hand on his shoulder while saying, "We will avenge them. With or without this army."

In the meantime inside the cave, the King of the Dead was sitting on his throne when Abigail appeared in front of him saying, "Still afraid to finally rest, it seems."

"I'm not afraid of finding my final rest. But we will be needed to fight the final battle against Mordor," says the King of the Dead.

"How do you know that it won't happen now. You didn't even ask him in which battle you will partake in. You just scared them away," says Abigail as she was holding her staff.

"So you are saying that they are going to fight Mordor," says the King of the Dead as he was now curious about this purpose.

"They will be fighting Mordor even the Elves have mobilized their force and are marching towards Minas Tirith to help Gondor against Mordor," says Abigail as the King of the Dead still needed one thing before he could mobilize his force.

"There is something you aren't telling me," says the King of the Dead when Abigail smiles.

"They are just a decoy to get the Ring towards Mt. Doom," says Abigail as the King of the Dead stands up surprised from hearing what Abigail said.

"That means that they are trying to destroy the Ring," says the King of the Dead as he walked away having a grin on his face.

"It seems he is going to help them," says Kara as Abigail smiles.

"Good, we should leave then," says Abigail as both fade away.

The King of the Dead appeared in front of the group and says, "We fight."

This surprised the group when the King continued, "But we will need transportation to take us to our destination."

"How about the ships down there?" asks Celine as the King of the Dead looked down towards the river.

"They will serve well," says the King of the Dead as the group now had a new objective.