Chapter 26: Treebeard goes to war, the last march of the Ents

Misao and the Hobbits have had a disappointing time at the Ent Moot. Treebeard and the Ents have decided that this war is too big for them and that it is not theirs to fight. However...

Misao and Merry didn't quite humbly agree with that choice. Treebeard has resolved to return the Hobbits to their home. Misao's home was in another world so Treebeard hasn't decided on what to do with her yet.

Treebeard carries the trio on his back, as they looked dejected.

"I will," said Treebeard, "leave you at the western borders of the forest. You can make your way north to your homeland from there. You, my lady, could go with your friends to the Shire. I hear... that it is the most beautiful place in all... Middle-Earth."

'Maybe Merry and Pippin's home is beautiful, Treebeard,' thought Misao as she starts to grip one of her kunais, '...but I don't intend to give up. As soon as Merry and Pippin are safe, I'm on my way to Isengard. I'll fend off against Saruman's cronies by myself, if I have to. But then again… I'd probably get myself killed.'

Just then...

Pippin perked up with a gleam in his eyes, "...wait! Stop, stop!"

Treebeard stopped in his tracks, wondering about this sudden change in Pippin. Misao and Merry do the same.

"What is it, Pippin?" asked Misao.

"Turn around... turn around, take us south!" exclaimed Pippin. Merry and Misao look sharply at Pippin.

"South?" queried Treebeard, "but that will... lead you past Isengard."

"Yes, exactly," verified Pippin.

"Huh, you want to go to Isengard?!" wondered Misao, "what for? That place is probably crawling with Orcs!"

"A little strategy of mine, Misao," replied Pippin to Misao, "if we go south we can slip past Saruman unnoticed."

"You really think Saruman isn't going to notice us?" asked a skeptical Misao.

"Mm-hmm," Pippin nodded, "the closer we are to danger, the farther we are from harm. It's the last thing he'll expect, Misao."

"Uh... Pippin," said Misao, with a lame expression on her face, "I don't mean to tell you this but... I think you've finally flipped your lid, yep! I really think you have."

"Hmmm," Treebeard interjected, rumbling, "I'd have to agree with your friend, little Shireling. That doesn't make sense to me. But then, you are very small… perhaps you're right. Ah! South it is then. Hold on."

Treebeard made a quick turn as he went on, "I always like going south. Somehow... it feels like going downhill."

"Are you mad," Merry asked incredulously, "we'll be caught."

"Merry's right, Pippin," Misao added, "this is crazy! We'll be finished for sure!"

"No we won't, you guys," Pippin said with determination, "not this time."

'Yeah, I heard that, before,' Misao thought, skeptically, 'I hope you know what you're doing, Pippin.'

Meanwhile... Frodo, Kaoru, Sam and Yahiko weren't doing so well either. They have been captured by Faramir, Boromir's brother and despite the travelers' warnings...

Faramir was bringing them, along with the One Ring, to Gondor, to the city of Osgiliath. The travelers, along with Gollum, were being held as captives. Frodo and his companions were being pushed along, in front of the much larger soldiers, while a rope, which bound his hands behind his back, pulled Gollum. As Faramir and company approached Osgiliath...

They saw the city in the distance, with smoke rising in many areas of the city...

"Look!" the rangers, exclaimed, "Osgiliath burns!"

"…Mordor has come!" another ranger said silently to himself, forebodingly.

Faramir looked with fear in his eyes. He was very desperate to save his city that he would do anything to save it... even take and use the ring for himself. Which will, inevitably, make things worse for him.

"Faramir," Kaoru said, trying once again to dissuade Faramir from taking the ring, "this isn't the answer. You'll never be able to use the ring. Can't you see that you're just making things worse by bringing the ring to your home?"

"...That remains to be seen, Miss Kaoru," returned Faramir, unrelenting.

"My friends speak the truth," interjected Frodo, who was in front of Faramir, "...the ring will not save Gondor..."

Frodo then turned around to face Faramir, adding, " ...it has only the power to destroy."

Faramir began to shake a little bit… as if he truly was beginning to believe what Frodo and his friends were telling them about the dangers of the ring… yet hesitated to consider Frodo's pleas.

"Please, let me go," Frodo pleaded desperately to Faramir with teary eyes...

"Hurry!" Faramir ordered, gesturing his men to move on.

"No Faramir!" Kaoru cried, as she was forcibly moved by a soldier, "you can't!"

"Faramir!" Frodo cried also, being moved forcibly by another soldier, "you must let me go!"

"You don't know what you're doing, Faramir!" Kaoru cried with tears in her eyes as well, "let us go! Please...!"

As Treebeard carried Misao and the two Hobbits to the edge of Fangorn Forest, he continued to chat happily with them, "…and a little family, of field mice that, climb up sometimes and it tickles me awfully. They're always trying to get somewhere they--oh!"

Treebeard stopped as his voice trailed off in surprise and shock…

To see a desolated landscape of tree stumps that used to be forested grounds. Treebeard and the others looked around the open area that should have been heavily wooded...

But all the trees had been brutally cut down, leaving nothing... but jagged stumps... stumps for acres... and acres...

Misao was just as shocked as Treebeard... perhaps... even more so than Treebeard because... she, too, loved trees...

"...Many of these trees were my friends," Treebeard said sadly, "creatures I had known from nut and acorn."

The last remark from Treebeard made Misao gasp because... what he said about knowing the trees from their youth… also reminded her of something as well.

"...I'm sorry, Treebeard," Pippin said quietly and sadly.

"This," Misao cuts in, full of shock and sadness as well, "...this... this is horrible."

"Indeed," agreed Treebeard, with tears in his eyes, "they had voices of their own…"

Treebeard kept wallowing in deep grief and sadness, then suddenly... he turned his gaze to the treeless Isengard and its smoking caverns...

"…Saruman," Treebeard started growling…

Misao then turned to the smoking land of Isengard and puts on an angry face as well and growled under her breath, balling her hand into a fist…

'...That creep...' thought Misao, with anger in her, '…that creep! He won't get away with this…!'

"…A wizard should know better!" Treebeard growled even more…

Treebeard roared with great fury, at the top of his lungs. The roar sounded… echoed… and reverberated to the whole far reaches of Fangorn forest…

Silence followed…

"Now you know how I feel," Misao spoke, breaking the silence. In that moment, Misao caught the attention of Treebeard and the Hobbits.

Misao went on, "…I know how it is… when you lose a friend Treebeard. I had friends that I've known, ever since I was young. We all traveled together… and then, they left me to go on their own, while I had a great home at the Aoiya, back in my world…"

The others listened with great sorrow to Misao's story…

Misao continued, sadly, "…when I wanted to see them again, I went out to find them, only to learn… that my friends were killed… by someone who's just as creepy as Saruman. I remember them well; Beshimi… Hyottoko… Shikijo… and Hannya. I miss them very much."

"…We didn't know about that Misao," Merry said quietly, with sympathy, "…I'm sorry."

"Me too," added Pippin quietly, and sadly.

Misao continued to sob as she replied, "…I know. Thanks, you guys."

Misao paused before she went on further, "…and… I swore, from that point on… that I would never let another one of my friends dies again… ever. And I'll never be happy if any of my friends were killed because I wasn't able to do anything. This is why we've got to take down Saruman right now!"

Misao finished her speech then, turned to Treebeard, "…now will you help us, Treebeard?" She asked with determination.

Treebeard paused before answering, "…yes… yes, I shall my dear. For, there is no curse in Elvish, Entish or the tongues of men... for this treachery."

Then…

Pippin heard a small rustling of trees from somewhere in the distance below from where they were, and turned around…

"Look, the trees!" Pippin gasped suddenly, pointing somewhere down below, "they're moving!"

They all looked down… to see a patch of the forest move across the ground, so slowly, yet roughly, surprising Misao and the Hobbits greatly.

"What's going on?" asked a bemused Misao.

"Where are they going?" wondered Merry.

"They have business with the Orcs," answered Treebeard, with a deep rumbled growl, "my business is with Isengard tonight, with a rock and stone…"

Misao and the Hobbits then heard rumbling from the forest directly behind them…

And… they saw many hordes of the different races of Ents… slowly coming out of the forest, marching towards Treebeard and the others…

Beech… Oak… Chestnut… and Ash…

Many have come once again. And this time… they will fight!

"You were planning this all along, weren't you, Pippin?" Misao asked Pippin with an enlightened expression.

"…Uh, well… I-I," Pippin blushed, full of speechlessness.

"Never mind," said Misao, "…I'm sorry for doubting you Pippin."

"It's okay, Misao."

"Nah... I really owe you one," Misao said sticking a thumb up to Pippin.

Pippin returned the gesture with his thumb… as Merry was also gladdened to see that the Ents are here to rage all-out war on Saruman as well…

"...Yes!" Merry cried quietly and enthusiastically, to himself, then turned to his friends, "thank you Misao! And you too, Pippin."

Misao and Pippin smiled back approvingly.

'Yeah!' thought Misao, with a renewed sense of determination, 'you better watch out Saruman. Because Misao Makimachi, Merry, Pippin, and a horde of very angry Ents… are coming your way!'

"Rárum-rum!" Treebeard rumbled as he began to lead the march, "come my friends… the Ents are going to war. It is likely that we go… to our doom…

"Last march… of the Ents," Treebeard ended resolutely…

And so... the Ents, joined by Misao, Merry, and Pippin... began their march to Isengard, to avenge their tree brethren and to punish Saruman for the heinous... malicious crime that he willfully committed against them all…

Faramir and the rangers finally reached Osgiliath. The captive travelers, along with Gollum have been brought there, foolishly hoping to use the ring to save them. They wander through the city streets, which were now... under siege.

Gondorian soldiers, dressed in ceremonial-like armor, as well as the rangers who were fighting with the soldiers… continued to dodge arrows and the falling rocks. Some boulders splashed into the river that went through the city. The arriving company and captives were doing the same as well, as the Gondorian soldiers helped them along as passing the besieged river… one by one.

Madril had met up with Faramir, with a company of rangers behind him.

"Faramir!" Madril reported, gravely, "Orcs have taken the Eastern Shore. Their numbers are too great. By nightfall, we will be overrun."

Frodo stumbled... and it was only the soldier's hands firmly on his shoulders that kept him on his feet.

"Mr. Frodo!" Sam cried alarmed.

"Frodo!" Yahiko and Kaoru cried out in alarm as well.

"Are you alright?" asked a concerned Kaoru.

Frodo turned huge frightened eyes on his friends, "...it's calling to him, Sam… Miss Kaoru. His eye is almost on me."

"Hold on, Mr. Frodo, you'll be alright," Sam said to Frodo in comfort…

But to Frodo...

…Sam's voice began to sound muffled… and far away...

…Kaoru and Yahiko called out to him too, but...

…Even their voices were muffling out slowly to Frodo… as he could see that his companions were speaking to him…

…But alas… he hears nothing… the ring gradually overcoming his senses…

…Kaoru then somehow… felt the ring's growing power, as she was calling out to Frodo, with her eyes twitching, and her cries began to stutter… becoming not as clear as Sam or Yahiko's calls of comfort to Frodo…

…And soon…

…Frodo couldn't hear anything… but the call.

"…Take them to my father," Faramir ordered, nudging Frodo, Kaoru, and the others towards Madril and his company, "tell him Faramir sends 'a mighty gift'."

Madril looked at Faramir, greatly shocked and confused to hear him say such a bright remark, like it meant that a great miracle had come to Gondor at last.

Faramir then looked down at Sam and Yahiko, ending staunchly, "a weapon that will change our fortunes in this war."

Faramir then turned to leave, with Madril and the other rangers turning to lead Frodo and the others away… but Sam and Yahiko struggled against them to face Faramir.

"Hey, Faramir!" Yahiko barked out, which made Faramir turn around, "…don't you dare turn your back on us, you coward!"

"What?" Faramir replied, almost snarling.

"You heard Mr. Yahiko," interjected Sam, "you're a coward!"

Faramir became insulted by Yahiko and Sam's comments about him. He didn't know whether to gag them… or have them killed.

Sam then added, yelling, "do you want to know what happened to Boromir? You want to know why your brother died? He tried to take the ring from Frodo! After swearing an oath to protect him, he tried to kill him! The ring drove your brother mad!"

"…You lie," growled Faramir.

"…It is not a lie, Faramir," Kaoru calmly interjected, recovering her wits, while still being enthralled by the ring, "what he said is the truth. I was there when it happened. I saw your brother attack Frodo! Boromir swore he would protect Frodo, but even still… he wanted to use the ring, just like you do. And his lust for the ring made him attack Frodo and tried to grab the ring from him."

Faramir froze with shock, as he looked deep into Kaoru's eyes… seeing the truth of her words about this startling revelation of Boromir. The travelers may yet be starting to get through to Faramir…

"So if you don't want to end up dead like your brother," added Yahiko, "…let us go to Mordor so we can destroy the ring. It was really responsible for his death in the first place!"

"Watch out!" a ranger cried out…

As a boulder flew into the air… and crashed into a tower overhead, shattering it. Everyone gasped in shock… and then…

Frodo’s eyes rolled up and stared at Faramir strangely. Sam, Yahiko, and Kaoru glanced at Frodo and noticed that all was not right with him.

"Mr. Frodo?" asked Sam worriedly.

"Hey, Frodo," added Yahiko, even more worriedly.

Kaoru however, went into shock once more when she saw Frodo in his current state, nearly blanking out…

"…They're here," Frodo said slowly… and frighteningly in a faraway voice, "…they've come…"

"NAZGÛL!!!" Faramir cried in alarm, as he looked up, hearing that familiar, wretched screech…

There was a Ringwraith, flying on a fell beast, crying out its horrid piercing screeches of fear as it soared through the city. Gollum cowered before the wraith's shrieking, still being held by the rangers, bound about by rope. Faramir and another ranger grabbed the travelers and led them to a place out of the way of the soldiers, pushing them against a corner in the wall.

"Stay here," Faramir advised, "keep out of sight."

Then Faramir went to join his men in battle with the Ringwraith, as he called out to the men, "take cover!"

Sam was with Frodo while Yahiko stayed close to Kaoru, still unaware of her state of shock as he kept looking above at the Fell beast that flew overhead from where they were…