A distant light 6/?

[valandhir]

This is a work of non-profit fan fiction using characters from the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings  world, which is trademarked by J.R.R. Tolkien.Both Boromir and Kili are characters created and owned by Tolkien INC, and I do not claim any ownership over them or the world of Middle Earth. The story I tell here about Boromir and Kili is my own invention, and it is not purported or  believed to be part of J.R.R. Tolkien's story canon. This story is for entertainment only and is not part of the official story line. I am grateful to J.R.R. Tolkien for his wonderful stories about Middle Earth, for without his books, my story would not exist.

Chapter 5: Under night’s wings

The third evening hence found Boromir and Kili still riding south, they had passed through Rhudaur, passed by the trollshaws and now approached the weatherhills from the east. Pressed for time they had only allowed for breaks such as their horses would need. Boromir was not quite sure what he should call his mount, it was taller than a normal pony but most certainly closely related to a cart horse but not quite as tall. Yet it had carried him speedily uphill and downhill across bad grounds and barely passable paths, what it lacked in looks it made up with its sturdy qualities. Kili’s horse was in the same vein, only that it was nearly too tall for him.

The day had been a cold and windy one and now as the sun set her fiery rays touched upon the largest hill ahead, crowned by some ruins of sorts. Boromir was not sure he liked it. His initially fascination with the ruins of Anor had faded and made room for a healthy weariness. It seemed that such places either held bad memories, were haunted by things better unnamed or had become dens for all kinds of creatures. He knew it would take him a while so see any ruin as something else than a place of dangers when he returned home. “That ruin – is that weathertop?” he asked, the first time in the three days they spoke something beyond the barest necessity.

Kili peered ahead. “Watchtower of Amon Sul, called Weathertop these days. Not a place I particularly like – the Orcs and Goblins have been using it as a lookout as much as any other might in this land. Bilbo would know better than to camp at a location that exposed.” They had allowed their horses a short stop in the shadow of some rocks, not a real rest, just a short stop.

Boromir studied the grounds ahead of them. Some miles were still left and grounds did not look easy either, if they pressed on they might reach the tower before midnight. He bit back a yawn that wanted to sneak up on him. They both had hardly had more than five hours sleep each during the last days. It was nothing to Boromir, he had gone without sleep or rest for longer times before.

Suddenly he felt Kili’s strong hand on his arm. “Don’t move, don’t break cover,” the dwarf whispered, his eyes peering past the rock and south.

Boromir was careful to not get out of the cover the rocks provided as he ducked slightly to have a look as well. Past the rock he could see the hills falling more and more towards a road running west. Far away, touched by the last rays of sunlight he could see a rider on the rode. One rider on a dark horse. He could not make out much more it was too far away but he felt a warning fear clasp his heart like an icy clutch. Danger was here… the hunt was on.

“They are still searching, means they have not caught him yet.” Kili whispered, tension clear in his voice.

Boromir had to agree with the dwarf’s pragmatic view. He pushed aside the doubt gnawing at him. Since when did he listen to fears and superstitions? Boromir had never had the luxury to listen to his fears or speak of them. He had to be strong for those he led and thus he ignored the feeling of fear entirely. “Let’s wait until night falls,” he said calmly. “we leave the horses here and move on foot. Less chance they will see us. If they want to go up there we can flank them.”

“Agreed.” The sun faded from the skies and dusk settled upon them, Boromir could never quite tell when the rider had vanished from the road. Yet all of sudden he was gone.

It was a stormy autumn night that the two companions approached Weathertop. A pale moon shone down from clear skies bathing the land in an eerie light, casting long shadows across the rugged landscape. Each bush shaking in the gales, each tree bending to the wind caused wild movements in the dark until not even the sharpest eye could tell what was there. Sometimes Boromir had a hard time to still spot Kili who went ahead of him, ducked the dwarf moved through what once might have been a trench of sorts. Even while they moved swiftly it took them hours to cross the rough grounds. Sometime in the dead of night they had believed to see light on Weathertop again and heard fell voices over the wind but both had been short-lived.

Now that the silent hours before dawn were upon them they finally reached the path that wound up Weathertop. Kili ducked behind a rock, peering ahead. Boromir caught up with him, squatting down to take cover. “What is it?” he whispered.

“I believed to see a glow in the den below the tower, where we saw the light earlier.” Kili responded. “it flickered up and out.”

“In that moonlight it could be anything,” Boromir had not seen the light but with the moon playing constant pranks on their eyes he had stopped even trying to notice. Better to overlook something than to be driven mad by things that were not there.

“Aye, let us approach the den first and then go up the tower.” Kili rose and took the lead again. There was a very narrow path winding up the side of the rock, for Boromir it was not hard to guess that these once had been stairs leading up to the tower’s postern. What once had been a small but well defendable set of stairs was now a broken path hardly broad enough to allow them passage. Often enough they had to go with their backs to the rock and in the constant danger of falling. The stairs led to a dead end right under the den. Kili simply reached up with one hand, grabbing the ledge above and deftly climbed up. For taller Boromir it was easier to follow him up there. To his surprise they emerged right in front of something that once might have been a cellar of the tower and now was an open den facing outward from the hill.

A gust of wind blowing into the hole revealed another flicker of light and suddenly Boromir understood. “Someone made a fire in this cave and did not extinguish it fully. The embers are still glowing.” He hurried over and found it as he had guessed. The fire was nearly dead but a few remaining embers were sill aglow. Kili had followed him bringing a branch to light on the dying embers. The warm light of the torch filled the cave, the glow softly shining.

“Several people camped here,” it was easy to see the traces of that but another detail quickly drew Boromir’s attention. "they went barefeet.”

“Hobbits do not wear shoes,” Kili replied, his eyes shining. “there were several of them. At least he’s not alone. But they left… going up to the tower.”

They followed up a narrow stairwell that left to the broken tower’s remains. Not that there was much, a round place with several stone arches. Whatever glory the Tower of Amon Sûl once may have had, it was long gone leaving only crumbling ruins behind. Kili placed the torch on a broken pillar so it would lend then some light and not burn out. Not that there was much to see. There were no tracks to read on the stone ground of the tower nor any hints of what might have transpired here.

Following what made most sense to him Boromir approached the broad stone arch that once had held the main gate. If someone had left the tower towards the road it would have been through this one. Maybe that was what the halflings had done moving on before dawn.

When he stepped out under the wide stone arch he saw a movement in the darkness, like the darkness itself moving, rippling. Only moments late he saw the rider. One rider on a black horse, a black cloak enveloping the whole figure stood on the pathway leading up to the tower. A cold wave washed over Boromir when a familiar fear touched his heart. It could not be, not here… not in this place… not two thousand leagues west of Minas Morgul, not when he had made himself forget all that had transpired only a few mortal years ago in that accursed place. The Rider raised one armored hand pointing at him, but Boromir did not move – he did not see the road or the rider any more, he saw darkness – the darkness under Minas Morgul reaching for him, washing up memories and pain.

Kili saw Boromir freeze where he stood, eyes on the figure outside on the road. He too felt the fear wash over him like a branding wave. But it was met with all the fierce stubbornness the dwarf could muster. He reached to his back to draw his sword, the white polished hilt of the blade felt warm under his hands like something of Smaug’s horrible fire was still in the dragon’s tooth. “Drakhûn caî Nargûn! Azór Nargûn!” (Victory and Death!) Kili charged past Boromir and at the rider whatever that creature had done to enchant the human warrior he’d not allow him to get any further. The first hit was for the horse, depriving the creature of his mount would ease the fight.

The rider was startled by the sudden wild charge, he turned his horse and drew his sword. His first attack tossed the dwarf across the field like he was nothing more than an annoying cat to be tossed out of the window. Landing hard on the ground Kili was up the same moment, attacking again. This time he did not charge in a straight line but flanked the enemy. Their blades clashed and a cold fire seemed to run up Kili’s arms from the simple contact, like something horrible and deadly was touching him even through the contact of the steel.

It was the grim battle-cry that shook Boromir from his shock. “Drakhûn caî Nargûn! Azór Nargûn!” He did not understand the words but they rang like a clarion in his mind driving away the darkness. Still shocked he saw Kili charge past him heedless for the danger, heedless for his own safety. A white light seemed to shine from the hilt of his sword as he attacked the Black Rider. Boromir saw all this like through a veil, his sight getting clearer and clearer with any passing moment. What he saw horrified him. Time and again Kili was tossed back by the Rider’s attacks only to come back for another round. He stood no chance and Boromir knew it. No one stood a chance against Mordor’s fell messengers.

Breaking the last of the spell holding him Boromir went back inside the tower for the only thing to safe them – the torch. It was still burning on the pillar where Kili had left it. When he came outside again he saw Kili duck under the Rider’s cover his blade striking home. Striking nothing as Boromir knew all too well but still the Rider’s shriek ripped through the night like a fiery whip. The Rider’s counterattack was fearsome, actually tossing Kili against the wall of the tower.

Boromir had waited, now that his mind was free he acted with icy cool. He knew he had only one chance to do this, one chance was all he and Kili had left. When the Rider tossed Kili fully focused on his erstwhile adversary Boromir saw his chance he too charged at the Rider, only instead of using a sword he used the torch. The first strikes of the torch touched the Rider’s cloak setting it aflame, the second and third half hit the horse which was all equal to Boromir as the beast feared fire as much as it’s cruel master. And truly the horse shrieked in pain with the burning and shrieking creature on his back.

Boromir picked up the sword Kili had dropped with the left hand, using both the torch and the blade against the Rider. But the horses’ panic was enough – trapped between a torch and a burning rider it bolted, carrying its bruning master off into the night.

Turning back to the tower Boromir hurried towards where Kili had fallen after the last attack. For a moment he feared that his friend had paid with death for his bravery but when he came close Kili already struggled back to his feet. Boromir reached for his arm helping him up. “That was the single most stupid and brave thing I ever saw anyone do and survive.”