Chapter 23: So it begins, The battle of Helm's Deep

Night was over Helm's Deep, past midnight. The sky was utterly dark and the stillness of the heavy air foreboded storm. And in the coming dawn… everyone expected Kenshin and Gandalf to be here with Éomer's men. After the stunning and miraculous arrival of the Elves, they immediately took positions…

With all available manpower… the elves and men, including boys and grandfathers, stood at the walls looking out over the valley. For a staring moment, the watchers on the walls saw all the space between them and the fortress… boiling and crawling with an impossibly huge dark mass, dotted with thousands of small white lights from torches… carried by the huge advancing Uruk-hai army and the light bouncing off their armor…

At the Deeping Wall, where the elf archers, including Legolas, were stationed, Legolas, Sanosuke, Saito, and Aoshi stood together. Aoshi also had his bow and arrow ready for the battle. However… there was a great deal of space between Legolas and Sanosuke. There was some little movement in that space…

"Arg, you people could've picked a better spot!"

…It was Gimli, grumbling and straining to look above the wall. Legolas, Sanosuke and Saito smiled and smirked to Gimli's frustration. Due to his size, he couldn't see over the wall.

Aragorn joined the elves at the Deeping wall as well. He came beside Legolas and watched the incoming dark army.

"Well lad," spoke Gimli, "whatever luck you live by, let’s hope it lasts the night."

"You got that right Gimli," Sanosuke agreed.

Moments later… thunder sounded and a flash of lighting came down…

CRRASSSH!

…That shone brightly on everyone's faces as well as briefly illuminating the valley, and the huge milling mass sea of Uruk-hai that filled it…

"Your friends are with you, Aragorn," Legolas assured Aragorn.

"Let's hope they last the night," Gimli repeated.

"Let's hope," Saito interjected, "that everyone here lasts this battle altogether Gimli."

"Indeed Saito," Gimli replied to Saito, "indeed."

Aragorn then went away from the others and strode down the wall. As he did, Sanosuke looked behind him and set his eyes at the object strapped to his back… the reverse-blade sword named Hope…

'…Speaking about hope,' thought Sanosuke as he continued to look at the sword on his back, '…I'm practically carrying hope on my back. And I don't just mean Kenshin's reverse-blade sword that's on my back…

'…But I mean… all kinds of hope in general. Like when we're all hoping that tomorrow…

'Kenshin and the old man will be here with Éomer's men, so they can help us fight off these goons.'

At the top of the causeway, Théoden stood with his men as more thunder was rumbling. And as the king glanced up at the threatening sky…

…Rain began to pour…

…Slowly at first, pinging of the metal of their armor…

…But quickly… it became a swift and loud downpour of rain that began to soak both the Rohan and Uruk-Hai armies. The thudding of tens of thousands of booted feet competed with the thunder as the army filled the valley from wall to wall…

The women and children in the caves heard the sounds overhead and were frightened. Éowyn, however, kept vigilant, hoping that the soldiers will save them all, and she will be ready at a moment's notice, with the sword that Sanosuke gave her, in case the Uruks break through. Mothers drew their children close and tried to soothe their crying babies…

The Uruks were squat and broad, some tall and grim, with high helms and sable shields. An Uruk-hai leader climbed up, and stood on top of a rock outcrop, as the rest of Saruman's hate-bred army marched on ahead, carrying their spears and banners, nearing the great fortress of Rohan…

Aragorn strode behind the elven archers lining the wall, commanding, "…A Eruchîn, ú-dano i faelas a hyn… an uben tanatha le faelas (Show them no mercy… for you shall receive none)!"

The Uruk army marched on still, until… the leader held his sword in the air, and gave a terrifying, animal-like cry, signaling for the troops to stop. Finally… the enemy soldiers came to a stop just inside of bow range before the Deeping Wall.

Silence followed…

…The women and children heard the silence as well as they held on to wait in both hope and fear of the battle that was about to commence…

Aragorn took position among the Elf-archers, standing in front of them. From thereon in… only the sounds of thousands of sputtering torches… and the loud steamy blowing of tens of thousands of Uruk-hai could be heard between thunder rumbles…

The blowing became louder… and louder each moment, growling in anticipation of the upcoming battle and slaughter, as the rain continued to pour, drenching the valley, making the ground muddy beneath the Uruks' feet…

Gimli tried to jump and struggle to see what was going on in the valley. "What’s happening out there?" the Dwarf asked impatiently.

"Shall I describe it to you?" Legolas asked, looking out at the enemy army… then glanced down at Gimli with a smile, "…or would you like me to find you a box?"

Gimli glanced up at Legolas after that snide remark…

"…Or better yet," Saito interjected, smirking, "…I could find that box for you Gimli. What do you say?"

Gimli looked up to Saito as well, glancing at both of his companions with surprise and gave a loud, good-natured chuckle, "heheeehehehe!"

Saito laughed in return, not as kindly as Gimli.

The Uruk leader roared out his commands… and the army started slamming the butt of their spears to the ground, with the Orc horns sounding in the background…

…THUMP…!

…THUMP…!

…THUMP…!

…THUMP…!

…THUMP…!

…THUMP…!

As the thumping continued, Aragorn drew his sword, readying himself for attack…

…THUMP…!

…THUMP…!

…THUMP…!

…THUMP…!

…THUMP…!

Legolas, Sanosuke, Saito, and Aoshi also readied themselves for battle as Gimli struggled, trying to see what was happening as he jumped a little ways over the wall…

…THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP…!

The thunderous thumping of the Uruk-Hai increased even faster…

The archers above the gate had their bows drawn and aimed at the front line of Uruk-hai…

…THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP…!

Everyone waited tensely as the thumping and roaring continued to sound so loudly that it could even be heard from inside the caves. The women and children in the caves huddle together in fear to this loud thumping…

…THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP…!

The thumping became louder and faster each time…

The Uruks banged fists upon their armor, and stomped onto the ground, adding to the horrible thumping of their spears. Aldor, an old man beside the teenage Háleth, had his bow drawn… but shook in utter fear making him unable to hold his arrow. The tension increased, especially with the old man hearing the accursed stomping…

…Then… the old man lost his grip, releasing his arrow prematurely…

SWOOP!

…And accidentally shot an Uruk-hai in the neck.

"DARTHO (HOLD)!" Aragorn shouted, raising his hand to the Elves…

Everyone waited as the accidental shot silenced the thumping…

Some or most of them went speechless after what happened with the old man. Saito looked around to see what happened. He looked up to see the old man who went speechless after what he did.

'Foolish old man,' thought Saito, 'what does he think he's doing?'

…With a hollow groan, the Uruk that was shot… slowly collapsed to the ground…

"So much for it being 10,000," Sanosuke said to himself, "now its down to 9,999."

In great frustration… The other Uruk-hai bare their teeth… and roar in anguish, now wanting the blood of Rohan more eagerly because the Men were the ones to draw first blood. Saito then put out his cigarette… and threw it toward the ground. Once it landed…

With a cry… the Uruk-hai leader thrusts his weapon in the air… and the Uruk-hai army began charging to the fortress…

Sanosuke cracked his knuckles together. "Here we go," he said, with an eager smirk.

Théoden still stood faithfully with his men as he said fatefully, "…so it begins."

The battle had indeed begun. The Uruk-Hai army massed in great numbers, charging faster towards the walls, intending to carry out the wishes of their master, Saruman, to leave no man alive in the fortress…

"Tangado halad! (Prepare to fire!)," Aragorn commanded.

"Tangado halad!" other Elves relayed the order to the rest as they notched arrows to their bows and aimed. Aoshi mounted his bow with an arrow also, aiming to accuracy…

The Uruks rushed even closer as the Elves and Aoshi stood ready with their bows drawn.

Legolas told his Elven kin, "…faeg i-varv dîn na lanc… a nu ranc (their armor is weak at the neck… and underneath the arm).

'If we aim at the right targets, we can make very short work of them,' thought Aoshi, strategically.

"Leithio i philinn! (Release the arrows!)," Aragorn yelled…

And the Elves fired their arrows. Arrows start to rain down on the Uruk-hai below, killing many, but many more ran over the bodies to continue forward.

"Did they hit anything?" Gimli asked, still trying fruitlessly to see over the wall.

Feeling that the men have waited long enough, Théoden told Gamling, "give them a volley."

Gamling raised his hand and shouted, "fire!"

"FIRE!" A man, who has only one eye, relayed the order to the human archers over the gate.

More arrows were released, hitting more Uruks, but the army kept advancing further, with more replacing those that were fallen…

"Ribed…!" Aragorn cried out as he raised his sword, and leaned back towards a line of Elves, who were down below, behind the Deeping wall, to give extra support to their kin from the ground, "…BAANT!"

A second barrage of arrows flowed even more fiercely than before. Volley after volley met their marks, but still the Uruks kept on, like an endless tide climbing over the bodies of their dead, trying to reach the walls.

"Send them to me!" cried Gimli with impatience, "c’mon!

"Don’t worry Gimli," said Sanosuke, assuredly to Gimli, "we'll get our chance soon enough!"

The Elves continued to fire their arrows at the Uruks, then…

The Uruks pulled out crossbows… and shot them at some of the Elves with their arrows. Some Elves fell over in front of… and even behind the Deeping Wall. And in the confusion… the Uruk-hai were able to reach the wall… and started to load their siege ladders, digging them into the ground next to the walls, pushing them up with their long spears…

"Pendraid! (Ladders!)," Aragorn called out the warning, seeing the Uruks climb up the walls using the ladders.

"Here they come, Gimli," Sanosuke said in anticipation, with balled fists, ready to punch the beasts.

"Good!" Gimli exclaimed with relishing satisfaction.

The ladders had lots of Uruk-hai warriors on them, as they were pushed up by the Uruk pikesmen, reaching the top of the Deeping Wall. The Berserker Uruks, the much larger and fearsome of the Uruk-Hai with naught but loin cloths and small helmets on their heads, filled with human blood to awaken a bloodlust within these creatures, were on top of the ladders, waiting to create a massacre with the Elves.

"Swords! Swords!" Aragorn exclaimed as the Elves, along with Aoshi and Saito, drew their blades in preparation for combat.

One of the ladders reached the wall… but Gimli was there, waiting, as he swung his axe high, hitting the creature in the chest. Sanosuke punched one of the Uruks on one of the ladders that went near him, knocking the creature, as well as the ladder back onto the ground. Everywhere along the wall, hand to hand battle raged… and more Uruks kept coming. Some of the battle-frenzied Berserkers had reached the wall, wielding the longest swords ever produced from Isengard.

The Berserkers swung their huge swords wide, striking many Elven warriors. Saito slew many Uruks, including some of the Berserkers with his Gatotsu attacks as Aoshi swiftly slew many with his Kodachis. Haldir stuck his sword into one of the beasts, then turned around to pull the blade from the stinking creature as it fell. But also in the raging battle… some of the Elves were thrown down in front of the Uruks. As one of the Berserker Uruks enjoyed his slaughter of Elves… Gimli slid in under its legs… and hacked at the creature's stomach.

"Heh, too easy," said Sanosuke, continuing his assault knocking down each Uruk that came in his way.

Gimli then glanced up at Legolas, exclaiming, "Legolas, two already!" He held up two fingers up in confirmation.

"I'm on seventeen!" Legolas called back, after shooting an Uruk with his bow.

"Arg! I’ll have no pointy-ear outscoring me!" Gimli grumbled with disgust, as he swung his axe at another enemy in the groin, making it fall down, to the ground, where Gimli finished it off.

"Hey!" Saito cuts in, "I don't mean to rub it in, but I've already killed twenty-one… "

An Uruk came up besides Saito… and Saito stabbed it in the stomach with his sword.

"Make that twenty-two," added Saito.

"Arg! I won't let you outscore me either Saito!" Gimli grumbled again.

"You're on, Saito!" added Legolas, proudly accepting the challenge. Clearly, an Uruk-Hai killing contest began between Saito, Gimli, and Legolas.

Aoshi kept on slaying his opponents with his twin kodachis, completely ignoring the contest. One of the Uruk swordsmen went to swing at Aoshi… but the ninja countered with his first blade…

And instantly brought down the second blade, shattering his opponent's weapon with the Onmyou Kuza. Aoshi then stabbed the creature in the chest and kicked him over the wall. With his athletic abilities in speed and attack reflexes, Aoshi fared equally well against the Uruk-Hai. He also used his bow and arrows to kill the Uruk-Hai.

Sanosuke fared excellently against the Uruk-Hai as well. He was quick in dodging the incoming assault of each Uruk and gave hard punches to the Uruks that came in his direction. Then one Uruk came up to Sanosuke with an axe…

But Sanosuke caught it and punched the Uruk with a Futae no Kiwami attack, crushing both the helmet and the Uruk's skull.

"Heh! You've got to do better than that," said Sanosuke.

The three contestants of the Uruk killing contest continued to count how many Uruks they've killed. Legolas had just killed 17, Gimli killed three and Saito killed 22.

Legolas shoots two more arrows at the Uruks. "Nineteen!" Legolas called out to Saito and Gimli, "how's that for you."

"Don't get cocky, Elf," said Saito, "I'm still in the lead."

"We'll see about that, Saito!" Legolas added.

"I'll catch up to both of you people!" interjected Gimli. And the contest continued…

Aragorn fought his hardest, dodging many of the Berserker Uruks attacks, cutting their legs and stabbing them while they were down. The valiant ranger then went to one of the siege ladders and knocked it down with his foot. The alliance between the men and elves has so far been able to ward off the incoming Uruk-Hai. But there were so many more to go through.

So with Helm's Deep still in great peril, will the Men and Elves win… or lose…

Night also fell upon Fangorn Forest, in Derndingle, where the Entmoot council, which had not happened for long years, according to Treebeard… was still in progress. All the Ents of different races came to this gathering to decide upon the matter of involving themselves in the fight against Saruman. The Ents stood in the middle of the clearing, in a circle swaying, as they proceeded to speak in their deep, sonorous language.

Pippin had been dozing across the ground. Suddenly… he awoke and looked around, a little disoriented.

"Huh?" murmured Pippin, sleepily, noticing that Merry and Misao grimaced with impatience, as they were the only one who paid any attention, feeling that this was going to be a very long wait.

"It's been going for hours," Merry told Pippin irritably.

"I can't believe that they're taking this long to discuss everything," Misao added, very agitated.

"They must have decided something by now," said Pippin as he stood up and moved next to his friends.

Treebeard overheard them and rumbled, "decided? No… we only just finished saying…"

The ancient tree-like being then slowly turned to Merry, Pippin and Misao and said, "…'Good Morning'."

"…WHAT?!!" yelled Misao, nearly screaming, "you mean to tell us, you guys took the whole day just to say, 'good morning' to each other?!!"

Treebeard and the other Ents weren't very surprised at Misao's outbursts and insults to them. After all she and the Hobbits were not as old as they were.

"But it's nighttime already," Merry added in exasperation, "you can't take forever."

"Don't be hasty," Treebeard advised.

"We're running out of time," returned Merry fiercely.

"Hurry it up, will you! None of us are getting any younger, you know," Misao added reproachfully at the Ents.

Treebeard only looked at them for a few seconds… then turned back to the moot, to continue the discussions…