Fifty Two - The Final Battle

*Ver POV*

“Verena Tempest,” A rider approached me as I got through the gates. 

I can do this. 

“And you are?” I asked. “A servant of Sauron the Great and yourself, my queen,” He smiled. He must’ve had a thousand razor sharp teeth in his mouth. 

“Where is he? I’d like to speak with my uncle,” I demanded. “Before, he bid me to show you something,” He said. He pulled out the white mithril shirt and I merely blinked at it. 

Oh, Frodo.

“Does this mean you have the Hobbit it belongs to?” I asked, not letting an inkling of emotion seep through. “We did, but-” “Then his armour means nothing. Do you know what he has?” I asked. “The One Ring,” He said timidly. “The One Ring. If we expect to win this war, Sauron needs it,” I snapped.

“That is enough, Mordu,” The armoured Sauron said as he rode over to meet us. “Yes, your greatness,” He nodded and rode away. 

“I am grateful to finally see you up close, my niece,” He said, bowing his head. “How does it feel to be queen now?” He asked. “Good,” I lied coolly. 

It feels like shit, if I’m being honest. 

“We have planning to do, you and I,” He said, turning his horse and we rode down the path to his tower. 

~~~

“Your Graces,” An Orc bowed his head, not looking up. “What is it?” Sauron asked in a bored tone. “They- they’re at the gate,” He stuttered and he looked back at me. 

“It seems they’ve come to- to take Lady Verena,” He continued. 

“Look at me,” Sauron said. “Now look at her,” The scared Orc looked at me, paling. “Does Verena Tempest look like a simple Lady to you?” He asked, pointing at me. “N-no,” He said. “No!” Sauron shouted. “Verena Tempest is a Queen. Address her as such,” Sauron snapped. 

“I’m sorry, my queen,” He apologised. “Do not mistake it again,” I said curtly and he nodded quickly. 

I hate this. 

“Tell Mordu to meet with them. Show them the mithril,” The Orc nodded, running away quickly. 

I walked over to the window and he followed. “They brought the entirety of their armies for you,” He chuckled. “Their attempts will be in vain,” I said firmly and He nodded, putting his hand on my shoulder. 

“After today, everything will change and I can not do it without you,” He said. Moments later, the Black Gate opened and we watched the short interaction between them. 

Sauron chuckled as Aragorn cut Mordu’s head off but I stayed quiet, glaring at the situation below. 

I turned away as they began to fight, but he turned me back around. 

“Watch your friends die. Prove your loyalty to me,” He whispered in my ear, both of his hands on my shoulders with a tight grip.

‘Wait, Verena. You can’t kill him until Frodo destroys the Ring’ I kept telling myself. 

I watched as Men charged Orcs below and the battle waged on. I lost sight of anyone I cared for in seconds. Nazguls swooped in from above, but I watched. 

It wasn’t until I saw a way out of here when I acted. 

The eagles had come. 

I quickly slipped a knife out, turning and stabbing him under his arm where the armour was separated. 

I might be the stupidest person alive.

“I should’ve known,” He chuckled, pain evident in his voice, pulling the knife from his arm. It clattered on the ground as he looked at me. 

He pulled his helmet off, revealing himself. He had long blonde hair and amber eyes, just like the glowing one up top. 

“I thought I could’ve trusted you,” He sighed. 

I drew the two daggers sheathed to my spine, connecting the handles to make a double-sided dagger. 

“Did you actually think I would turn against my own blood?” I asked. 

“We share that blood too,” I swung my dagger at him and he jumped back with a smirk. “Ver, don’t be too hasty to kill me,” He reasoned calmly. 

“Why shouldn’t I?” I asked. “Because you can have your brother back,” His eyes glowed ever so slightly, the amber colour lighting up. “What?” I asked as I stopped, holding the dagger up. “Yes,” He nodded. “Nikolas, even your uncles and mummy and daddy,” He continued. 

I raised my dagger again to strike again. “Ah,” He said, walking over and slowly taking my wrist. “Look at me, Verena,” He forced me to look into his eyes. They lit up brighter. “Do I look like a liar?” He asked softly. His voice sounded sincere, his eyes matching his tone. 

“Finish off their forces and we can bring them back, you and I,” He said. “No,” I shook my head, blinking. He grabbed my jaw, forcing me closer to him. At this point, he had me pushed against the wall next to the window, so close his eyes clouded everything else.

I used my free hand to get another knife on me, trying to stab him again. It worked well enough for him to break away from me and I had enough time to blink my eyes out of his trance. 

“How many bloody knives do you have?” He asked, annoyed. 

“Mind Manipulation,” I muttered, standing again as he laughed. “How else did you think those rings work?” He asked. “There's no magic in this world that can completely take over another’s mind,” He said.

“There’s dark magic-” “Dark magic?” He laughed. “No. As low as you think I am, I wouldn't want to become something as horrendous as them,” He pointed out the window, gesturing to the Orcs. 

“It’s a shame, Verena. I really like you,” He walked over to his sword, slowly drawing it from its sheath. 

“I thought we could have been each other’s family. I wish I didn’t have to kill you,” He lunged at me and his sword connected with my knife. He swung again, knocking my knife out of my hands. 

When he swung again, I caught the swords with my hands. He smirked as I winced in pain. His smirk soon disappeared when he realised I was melting the blade. I smiled, pulling the sword out of his grip

 I kicked him back, launching myself out the window and got far enough for an eagle to catch me. 

Outside, the battle was all over the place. I landed on the outer parts and screamed, calling the Orcs attention as my hair caught fire, drawing them to me. I ran at them, letting my single touch be enough to turn them to ash. 

It wouldn’t have been hard to start a wildfire right then. 

“Verena!” Cleos shouted as he got closer. “Get back!” I shouted at him. All at once, I let out another scream, the fires that started in my bones now spreading to the orcs as I directed it around allies, only burning the foe.

Once it stopped, Legolas found me quickly and hugged me, refusing to let go. “Don’t ever leave like that again,” He said. 

I hugged him back and sighed, closing my eyes. 

Once I reopened them, Sauron marched towards us quickly. I took one of Le’s swords and charged at him. “Verena!” He shouted, I ignored him. He couldn’t follow me as Orcs charged at him.

Sauron attacked first and I ducked his sword, swinging mine and scratched his armour. He swung right, I moved left, cutting under his arm. 

He swung again, cutting across my right abdomen. I fell, I gasped in pain. 

“It doesn’t have to be like this,” I looked up at him. 

“I am sorry,” He raised his sword. 

Before he could kill me, his face contorted in pain and confusion. He gasped and dropped his sword as I sat up and stood slowly.  

A loud whistle sounded through the air. I looked at Mount Doom, which was erupting, then at the tower. His third eye was in flames. 

Frodo did it. 

I looked back at Sauron, who grunted in pain, falling to his knees. The tower began to crumble and fall and he continued to gasp for air. 

Once the eye had completely burned out, it exploded, the winds pushing outwards in a circle. 

The lands of Mordor caved in. I pressed my hands to the ground and stopped the earthquake from reaching any further. 

We watched as the mountain erupted, giant blazing pieces of fire and rock struck the Naguls down. 

Frodo was still up there.

Gandalf whistled sharply for the eagles and took off to find him. 

I looked back at Sauron, who was now looking at me, on his knees. 

“That’s it, isn’t it? Your Ring is destroyed,” I said. 

“Not quite,” He grabbed his sword, lunging for me but couldn’t reach me before falling again, an arrow in his back. Legolas stood from a distance and I looked at him, then down at Sauron, who was breathing heavily. 

I knelt down, taking his sword and throwing it aside. I extended my hand for him to take and he looked at me. “What are you doing?” He asked. “Helping you,” I answered. He hesitantly took it and I carefully laid him against a rock. 

“You’re going to die, now, aren’t you?” I asked and he nodded. “I am, little one,” He huffed.

“Congratulations, Verena,” He said through shallow breaths. “You have won,” 

“The realms of Men won,” I said and he huffed a painful laugh. “You still give them the credit,” He snickered.

He reached his hand out to me and I looked at him in distrust. “No more tricks,” He promised, eyes glowing. I hesitantly took his hand.

“Hello, little one,” Sauron whispered, holding an infant close. 

“You are the first Tempest girl. The pride and love and joy of us all,” He continued. The baby looked at him and smiled. 

That same smile replayed through the next several years as I grew. He remembered my smile from all those years. 

Memories flooded into my mind, memories I didn’t know I had. 

Memories of him and I from when I was born, all the way to when I was sixty, when he left us.

He chased me through the courtyard as I squealed in laughter. 

When I first got my powers, my hair turned fiery. He smiled proudly at me, as though he were my own father. 

Even teaching me how to throw daggers, use a bow, sword sparring. 

So many memories that were taken from me.

“Why do I not remember any of that? Why was it gone?” I questioned, tears in my eyes. “After I left Ezeria, you were heartbroken. Your mother erased the memories from your mind so you would not suffer,” He answered. 

“I’m sorry,” I whispered and he smiled.

“Making you smile was the only thing I lived for when you were a child. Now that you’ve grown, you know the world for what it truly is. Do not let it consume you, little one,” His grip on my hand loosened and life left his eyes, the same as they did only a few days before in Nikolas’ and Haldir’s before that. 

I closed my eyes to stop tears, closing his eyes as well.