bookbashuk Chapter 389 Fulfilling the Oath
Chapter 389 Fulfilling the Oath
Chapter 389 Fulfilling the Oath
With Faramir recovering from his injuries, everyone's attention turned to the Mordor army outside the city.
On the boundless plain, the densely packed armies of Mordor and Harad stretched as far as the eye could see. Giant siege engines, dragged by trolls and mammoths, were brought to the front of the army, ready to launch a siege on the city of Minas Tirith.
After Faramir killed his fallen flying beast mount, the Ringwraiths once again stood on the back of a dragon, determined to conquer Minas Tirith.
Denethor II and Faramir, who stood atop the highest level of the White City, along with Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli who had come to provide support, all looked solemnly at the enemy army outside the city.
Denethor II remained prejudiced and distrustful of Aragorn, but Faramir did not share this sentiment. He asked Aragorn, "Although we have already amassed the Gondorian forces, we are still outnumbered by the Mordor army outside. We can only hold out for about a week at most. Are there any other reinforcements coming besides you?"
Although Denethor II disliked Aragon, he still looked at him with the same hope.
But Aragorn shook his head, his face grave, and told them some terrible news: "Mordor has come out in full force this time. In addition to the army attacking Gondor, they have also sent several other large armies to invade Rohan,..."
"Lorraine, the Woodland Kingdom, the Vale, and the Lonely Mountain—so other places are also at war and cannot come to our aid for the time being."
Upon hearing this, Denesther II's face darkened, and he said dejectedly, "Is Gondor truly facing destruction?"
Faramir's expression darkened, but then, as if remembering something, he quickly asked hopefully, "What about Hogwarts? Can't we ask Headmaster Duyle for help?"
In his view, Hogwarts was far stronger than Gondor. Besides Headmaster Duyle's mysterious and powerful abilities, the tens of thousands of wizards and the elite Auror troops of the Ministry of Magic were formidable forces.
Sending just a portion of their Aurors would be enough to turn the tide of the battle and save Gondor from imminent collapse.
But Aragorn shook his head and explained, "Hogwarts is also facing war. The Witch-King of Angmar has organized the Orc army in the Kingdom of Angmar in the north and has summoned wights with evil witchcraft. They are now marching south to invade Hogwarts and the Valley of the Dead, so Hogwarts is preparing for war with all its might. At the same time, it also needs to support Linton and the Grey Harbor region to deal with the invasion of the Umbal pirates."
"However, Lord Duir and Lord Elrond were aware of Gondor's situation, so after receiving His Highness the Regent's letter requesting assistance, they dispatched us to provide support."
"Support? Ha, just the three of you? Are you going to be buried with us?" Upon hearing this, Denethor II looked at Aragorn and his companions as if he had heard something absurd and ridiculous, making no attempt to hide his mockery and hysteria.
He was like a dying man, venting his negative emotions indiscriminately, especially since some of them were people he hated the most.
"Or are you saying you can conjure up a massive army to kill all those Mordor soldiers outside?"
"Hey, old man! Don't underestimate us! Even if it's just the three of us, I can chop those guys' heads off with this axe!" The dwarf Gimli shouted, brandishing his new axe with great displeasure.
Legolas, more composed, pulled Gimli back, preventing him from spitting on Deneiser II's face.
After all, he is the regent of a country, not to mention that we are currently on his territory.
However, he still touched the longbow on his back and looked at the enemy troops densely packed outside the city, their fighting power imposing.
The longbow on his back was a gift from Duir; it was a gold-plated longbow that would automatically condense into a beam of light whenever it was drawn, and it was 100% accurate, exploding upon impact.
It can be described as a longbow-shaped magic wand, with the Explosion Charm inscribed and solidified, so that as long as the user's magic power is not exhausted, it can keep shooting arrows.
Legolas was already exceptionally talented in archery, and after receiving the magical longbow from Dui, he became even more formidable. Even the power of a wand in his hands could not compare to that of the longbow.
Aragorn, unperturbed by Denethor II's taunts, replied, "Your Highness, Lord Duir and Lord Elrond did indeed send only the three of us to aid them this time. However, they know the three of us are of little use in the war, so they specifically sent us to seek reinforcements elsewhere. Once those reinforcements arrive, Gondor's crisis will be resolved!"
"Help? What kind of help?" Faramiel asked eagerly, his hope rising at the prospect.
Denethor II looked at Aragorn with surprise and doubt. Now that all the powers in Middle-earth are under attack from Mordor and are too busy to help themselves, what power could possibly come to their aid and save Gondor from its crisis?
Aragorn didn't hide anything and answered directly, "It's the Dark Gate of the White Mountains. Lord Duir gave me instructions before I came, telling me to go there and that I would receive help there."
The Dark Portal?! Denethor II and Faramir both gasped, somewhat incredulous.
Denethor II was well aware of the White Mountains as the dividing line between Gondor and Rohan, especially the Dark Portal within them, which he had heard of countless times.
After all, there are mountain spirits behind the Dark Portal, and no one who has entered has ever come out alive.
Countless adventurers from Gondor and Rohan once attempted to explore this Path of the Dead, but the countless deaths ultimately turned it into a forbidden land of death that no one dared to tread.
And now Aragorn is saying he wants to go to this land of death?
To Deneses II, this was tantamount to courting death.
As a forbidden land of death located in Gondor, Denethor II once explored it with the Crystal of Knowledge, but saw mountains of skeletons and countless terrifying ghosts, and was almost discovered by the Ghost King.
From then on, he dared not venture into that land of death again.
Seeing Denethor II's death stare and Faramir's worried expression, Aragorn offered no further explanation.
He simply refused Legolas and Gimli's request to accompany him, leaving them in Minas Tirith to defend the capital, before Apparating away.
Because the city of Minas Tirith is backed by the White Mountains, it is not too far from the Dark Portal, which is also located in the White Mountains.
So after Aragorn used Apparition several times, he successfully arrived at the Valley of Messonde.
The Mersund Valley is located in the southern part of the White Mountains. Unlike the last time Dui entered through the Dark Portal in the northern part of the White Mountains, this time Aragorn entered through the southern exit.
Thanks to Dui's prior warning, Aragorn, though still vigilant, eventually made it to the empty cave where the ghosts gathered.
The presence of living beings awakened the slumbering ghosts, who emerged from the mountain of skeletons. A chilling and terrifying aura spread through the cave, making one feel as if their soul was about to freeze.
"Who dares to trespass into this land of death and disturb the rest of the departed? Since you've come, leave your corpses behind and let them rot with us!"
The cold, hoarse whispers of the dead echoed through the cave.
A crowned ghost, radiating an eerie glow, stared coldly at Aragorn with his skull eyes burning with green flames.
Other ghosts also appeared, surrounding Aragorn from all sides in dense numbers.
Sensing the malice of the ghosts, Aragorn immediately drew his longsword and warily looked around.
But he immediately explained, "I am Aragorn, son of Arason, a descendant of Isildur. I have come to disturb you on behalf of Duir, the Lord of Hogwarts, to fulfill our old agreement!"