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A council convenes in the throne room at Minas Tirith consisting of Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Maristela and Èomer. "Frodo has passed beyond my sight," Gandalf informed Aragorn with Maristela nodding from where she stood with Legolas, "And mine." Aragorn looked from her to the throne, "If Sauron had the Ring we would know it." Gandalf sighed, "It's only a matter of time. He has suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor our enemy is regrouping." Gimli sits on the steward's throne, puffing on a pipe, "Let him stay there. Let him rot! Why should we care?"

"Because ten thousand Orcs now stand between Frodo and Mount Doom," Gandalf replied to the Erebor Dwarf before turning his gaze towards a wall, "I've sent him to his death." Maristela looked down with a sigh as Legolas interlocked their hands to comfort her. "No. There's still hope for Frodo. He needs time and safe passage across the Plains of Gorgoroth," Aragorn spoke as he turned to Gandalf with a determined look in his eyes, "We can give him that." Maristela furrowed her brows before her mind clicked on his potential plan. "How?" Gimli asked him.

"Draw out Sauron's armies. Empty his lands. Then we gather our full strength and march on the Black Gate," Aragorn answered him. "We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms," Èomer advised Aragorn with concern. "Not for ourselves, but we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron's Eye fixed upon us," Aragorn expressed before turning to look at everyone, "Keep him blind to all else that moves." Legolas processes his words before speaking, "A diversion." Maristela grinned already eager for another battle. "Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?" Gimli asked them with eagerness.

"Sauron will suspect a trap. He will not take the bait," Gandalf advised. "Oh, I think he will," Aragorn replied to him before looking at Maristela, she bowed her head before kissing Legolas' cheek and following after her son. Maristela and Aragorn enters the citadel throne room and uncovers the Palantír. He flinches as the Eye blazes while Maristela ignores the pain within her head. He grasps the Palantír and holds it up, looking into it; Maristela reached to place her own palm on it too. "Long have you hunted me. Long have I eluded you. No more," Aragorn spoke out knowing that Sauron was listening as Maristela pulled her hand away.

He holds up his sword to the Palantír, "Behold the sword of Elendil." An image of Sauron in his armour appears, then a depiction of Arwen, dead. As Sauron laughs, Aragorn releases the Palantír. "It'll work out," Maristela assured as she focused her energy and power on the Palantír, a grey mist formed around it before it shattered into pieces. "The plan will work and Frodo will succeed, I have faith in Sam," Maristela added as she rested her hand on Aragorn's shoulder, "Arwen chose you. You will be together." They shared a look before they moved to prepare for their next step.

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Aragorn leads an army from Minas Tirith. Gandalf, Legolas, Maristela, Gimli, and Èomer ride with him. Pippin rides with Gandalf and Merry rides with Èomer. The Host of the West marches forth from Minas Tirith. Éowyn looks out from the Houses of Healing. Faramir walks to her side. "The city has fallen silent. There is no warmth left in the sun. It grows so cold," Èowyn says as she remembers Maristela's words of encouragement to pursue Faramir. "It's just the damp of the first spring rain," Faramir responds to her. Éowyn turns to Faramir, "I do not believe this darkness will endure." They hold hands and smile, Éowyn rests her head on Faramir's shoulder.

Aragorn leads the army of men towards the Black Gate and soon enough, Aragorn's company comes within sight of the Black Gate. Meanwhile, Frodo and Samwise stagger across the plains as the Eye of Sauron scans the area towards the vicinity of the Hobbits. "Frodo! Get down! Hide!" Sam calls out to his companion. As Frodo falls to the ground, hidden from view, the Eye searches their location. Frodo remains on the ground, lying still. Aragorn and his men stand at the Black Gate, which appears to be deserted. "Where are they?" Pippin pondered as Maristela moved forward closer to Aragorn. 

Aragorn spurs his horse towards the gate. He is followed by Éomer, Gandalf, Maristela, Legolas and Gimli. Aragorn addresses the large gates, "Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth! Let justice be done upon him!" The gate creaks open and a single rider appears upon a dark horse. The only part of the rider appearing, besides a full helmet and armour, is a grotesque mouth. "My master, Sauron the Great, bids you welcome. Is there any in this rout with the authority to treat with me?" The Mouth of Sauron speaks.

"We do not come to treat with Sauron, faithless and accursed. Tell your master this: The armies of Mordor must disband. He is to depart these lands, never to return," Gandalf advised the Mouth of Sauron who replied, "Old Greybeard. I have a token I was bidden to show thee." He holds up Frodo's Mithril shirt, he throws the Mithril shirt to Gandalf, who catches it causing Pippin and Merry to cry out for their friends. "The halfling was dear to thee, I see. Know that he suffered greatly at the hands of his host. Who would've thought one so small could endure so much pain? And he did, Gandalf. He did," The Mouth of Sauron taunted.

As the mouth laughs wickedly, Aragorn rides casually around to his side. "And who is this? Isildur's heir? It takes more to make a king than a broken Elvish blade," The Mouth of Sauron sneered with a teasing grin. With a quick, hard, slice, Aragorn cuts the Mouth of Sauron's head with his sword. "I guess that concludes negotiations," Gimli said with a sigh while Maristela smirked at her son's sudden response. "I do not believe it. I will not," Aragorn said with certainty, he still held faith in Frodo and Sam. The Eye's gaze turns from Frodo.

The Black Gate again creaks and sways open, revealing an army of marching orcs. Barad-dûr looms in the background, its Eye now staring at Aragorn. "Pull back! Pull back!" Aragorn's company returns to the awaiting army of men. Back on the plains, Sam notices the Eye has turned away, "It's gone, Mister Frodo. The light's passed on, away towards the North. Something's drawn its gaze." The hobbits stand up and continue on their way to Mount Doom. However, legions of Orcs pour out of the Black Gate. 

Aragorn addresses an unsettled army of men, "Hold your ground! Hold your ground. Sons of Gondor! Of Rohan! My brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fails, when we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the Age of Men comes crashing down, but it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!" The soldiers draw swords. Maristela raised her blade high in the sight of the Eye, it stared directly at it.

The orc masses begin to encircle the army of men. Aragorn and his company have dismounted for some reason, and are not using bows. The hobbits scale the slopes of Mount Doom. Frodo looks up at the fiery peak above. The hobbits fall to the ground. Frodo crawls a short distance and collapses. Back at the Black Gate, the army prepares for battle. The Orcs greatly outnumber the men. "Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an elf," Gimli commented to Legolas who turned to him, "What about side by side with a friend?" Gimli smiled at that, "Aye, I could do that." Maristela smiled at the two as she held Legolas' hand in the wait.

On the Mountain of Fire, Sam crawls up to Frodo and takes him in his arms, "Do you remember the Shire, Mister Frodo? It'll be spring soon, and the Orchards will be in blossom. And the birds will be nesting in the hazel thicket and they'll be sowing the summer barley in the lower fields." Frodo opens his eyes and stares blindly at Sam as he continued, "And eating the first of the strawberries with cream. Do you remember the taste of strawberries?" Frodo frowned, "No, Sam, I can't recall the taste of food. Nor the sound of water. Or the touch of grass. I'm naked in the dark. There's nothing... no veil... between me and the wheel of fire! I can see him with my waking eyes!"

Sam dryly wept at Frodo's words before sniffling, "Then let us be rid of it, once and for all! Come on, Mister Frodo. I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you! Come on!" Sam lifts Frodo over his back. Sam staggers up the mountainside, with Frodo on his shoulders. At the Black Gate, the Eye calls out, "Aragorn... Elessar..." Aragorn appears momentarily tempted by the voice. He turns back to address Gandalf. Gandalf, holding Frodo's shirt, looks questionably at Aragorn. "For Frodo!" Aragorn said serenely. Waving his sword, Aragorn runs towards the orcs, yelling. Merry and Pippin run in after him, the rest of the army soon following. Nazgûl fly over the fighting at the Black Gate.

Sam and Frodo approach the upper cone of the Orodruin. Sam spots a passage into the Chambers of Fire. "Look, Mister Frodo. A doorway! We're almost there," Sam spoke encouragingly. Gollum appears from behind a rock above the hobbits, "Clever Hobbits, to climb so high!" Gollum pounces on Frodo and Sam. Frodo falls from Sam's back. Gollum lands on Frodo and begins to strangle him, "Mustn't go that way! Mustn't hurt the precious!" Frodo thrashed in Gollum's hold, "You swore! You swore on the precious! Sméagol promised!" Gollum grins, "Sméagol lied." Sam throws a rock a Gollum's head, knocking him off Frodo. Sam jumps on Gollum and they wrestle on the ground.

Gollum bites Sam before Sam slices Gollum across the chest. As Gollum falls, Sam turns to look for Frodo. Frodo, now re-energized, runs into the Cracks of Doom. Sam enters the door into the mountainside, "Frodo!" Frodo stands at on a ledge above a sea of molten lava, "I'm here, Sam." Sam stops before him, "Destroy it!" Frodo holds the Ring on its chain out above the lava and Sam speaks, "Go on. Now! Throw it in the fire!" Frodo hesitates. The Ring begins to sing. "What are you waiting for? Just let it go!" Sam shouted with glossy eyes. Frodo stares at the Ring, then cups it in his hand. He turns to Sam, "The Ring is mine!"

Frodo snaps the Ring off of its chain as Sam cries. Frodo puts on the Ring and disappears. "NO!" Sam screams out.  Back at the Black Gate, the Nazgûl descend. As Gandalf fights, a familiar moth flies in front of his face. Gandalf's face brightens. Bird cries are heard and several Eagles appear and attack the Nazgûl. "Eagles! The Eagles are coming!" Pippin cheered with a smile. The Nazgûl beasts and the Eagles fight protecting the people below. The Eye of Sauron quickly turns its gaze to Mount Doom. At the Black Gate, the surviving Nazgûl screech and fly towards the Ring. In the Cracks of Doom, Frodo's footprints form on the ground in front of Sam.

Gollum appears over Sam's shoulder, and hits him with a rock. Sam drops to the ground. Gollum spots Frodo's footprints, and runs up to Frodo, jumping on the invisible hobbit. Frodo struggles with Gollum. Sam awakes to see the struggle for the Ring. Gollum makes a biting action, and Frodo reappears, his finger bitten off. Gollum takes the ring from the severed finger. Gollum, at last reunited with the Ring, leaps for joy, "Yes! Yes!" Frodo gets up and starts to walk toward Gollum. "Precious! Precious! Precious! Precious!" Gollum cheers. Frodo lunges at Gollum. The two fight for the Ring.

Fighting continues at the Black Gate. Aragorn turns to look at a huge troll heading his way. Aragorn engages the troll. Aragorn is thrown to the ground. Legolas sees this and tries to make his way to Aragorn. Aragorn and Legolas continue their struggle as Maristela spots the situation, she looks around to see the losing battle and felt a strange tingle through her body before she focused on it, letting it flow through her before she focused it on the Orcs completely shattering them to dust like broken porcelain including the troll that had pinned Aragorn down.

Frodo and Gollum continue struggling. Together they tumble over the the side of the ledge. Gollum falls toward the lava, smiling and cradling the Ring on his way down. Gollum hits the lava and burns up, leaving ashen remains that suspend the Ring just above the fire. Frodo hangs on to the side of the cliff. Sam rushes to his aid, "Give me your hand!" Sam tries to grab Frodo, but cannot reach him. The Ring's inscription appears before it melts away into nothing. Frodo reaches for Sam, but his hand slips away. "No! Don't you let go!" Sam pleads. Frodo reaches and grabs Sam's hand and Sam pulls Frodo up.

The Eye cries out and Sauron's remaining troops look back to Mordor, then flee. Left alone, Aragorn stands and with the others and looks on. The tower of Barad-dûr slowly falls over. The Eye of Sauron disappears, letting lose a great shockwave. The army of the West cheers and the surrounding landscape crumbles. The Black Gate collapses as the ground caves in. Much of Sauron's army falls as well. "Frodo! Sam!" Merry cheered with pride. The men yell in victory before Mount Doom erupts in a large explosion. The eruption kills the remaining Nazgûl.

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Rosemary Speaks

Oh wow... This has been intense...

Had to add Frodo and Sam scenes 'cause Sam the real MVP!

Thoughts?

See you in the next chapter!