New Dream Adventures of Raven Knight

2017, 03-27

Ambush at the Ford

I am outside on a road that runs through a thick forest. It is a very beautiful forest, and the day is a pleasant one. I don’t really think much about how I came to be here, I just walk down the road at a leisurely pace. As I am walking down the road I notice that it is starting to get darker. At first I am thinking it has merely reached the end of the day, and the sun is setting. I walk for a while before I reach an area clear enough that I can see the sun in the sky, and I see it is still high up and shining brightly. But for some reason the light of the sun doesn’t seem to be reaching the ground. It’s as if there is some large invisible barrier keeping much of the light away, as well as much of the warmth. The air around me is growing colder as I proceed. I think this is really strange, but I don’t let it stop me. I am now being pulled forward by a feeling I need to get somewhere quickly, before it is too late.

After walking for a short while I hear the flow of water up ahead. I hurry along and reach an area that is more open as it approaches a river. The river flows over the road, but it looks like this is a river ford, a place where the water is shallow and I could wade across if I need to. I notice that in spite of the road coming into the open air, the darkness is deepening rather than dissipating. I look up and I see the sun, but much of the light is not making it to the ground. I hear the sound of someone approaching and I look. I see a man approaching me, watching me suspiciously. He asks who I am and where am I going. I don’t exactly know the answer to where am I going, so I decide to give my name, Raven Knight, and I say I’m going wherever this road may lead me. I think he is about to ask another question when he looks alarmed and turns to look back down the road. He then says if I am not in league with the enemy then I had better get out of sight.

I am still wondering what enemy he is referring to when I hear a couple cries of alarm. A couple of small people, I immediately think they are hobbits, come from a spot by the side of the road that they had apparently thought to be hidden. I hear another voice back there warning someone to stay away from his master or… or… he trails of, apparently not sure how to finish that threat. Aragorn starts in that direction, one of the hobbits says the dark riders have come upon them from behind! I immediately know that is where I need to be. I run as fast as I can, right past Aragorn and to the place the two hobbits came out of. Sure enough, there is a dark cloaked figure on a black horse towering over a hobbit who is lying on the ground looking injured. A second hobbit is standing between the fallen hobbit and the towering dark rider, holding a sword, and shaking with fear, but unwilling to abandon his friend. I hurry forward, calling out to get the monster’s attention. I don’t think it’s working, but then I am finally able to get between the dark rider and the fallen hobbot, who I am now assuming is Frodo. The protective one muct be Sam. I tell Sam he had better get Frodo out of here, Aragorn is out on the road and will help. Sam looks like he wants to ask questions but instead he helps Frodo up and they make very slow progress out towards Aragorn. Aragorn is out there saying we have to get to the ford, the dark riders won’t cross. I form my right arm into an Alex Mercer blade, and I charge it with light energy. When he sees this, the dark rider backs off a bit then turns and leaves. I have a feeling he is not retreating.

I head back out onto the road thinking I can help the hobbits and Aragorn. They are making their way towards the river ford, Aragorn is calling out, asking where the pony went off to… then says it’s no matter, the pony could never outrun the dark riders. The dark riders are approaching the ford, I see five of them coming from down the road. Aragorn says there is no choice, he will have to fight them to delay them while the hobbits escape. The hobbits clearly think this idea is insane, there’s no way Aragorn can face the riders alone. I come out and say he will not be facing them alone. In fact, he should help the hobbits get away, in case the rest of the riders ambush them as they try to escape. Aragorn says he doesn’t know who I am, but… he trails off as he sees my right arm transformed into a glowing white blade, then seems unsure of what to say except something about me being a witch. I tell him no, I’m no witch, but the dark riders cannot face this light energy.

But before anyone can consider escape it is too late, there are now five of the dark riders on one side of us and another four dark riders between us and the river ford. There is no choice but to fight. Aragorn pulls out a sword to fight, so I use Battery by Metallica to call a bolt of lightning and charge his sword with light energy. I still have my Alex Mercer blade arm charged with light energy. Now I focus on the song Old Friend by Disturbed as I attack the dark riders with my glowing blade. “Hear me now, feel my blade! There is no more time for apologies! Malevolent emotions take hold of me! Are you ready to begin your trip to the other side? Death is an old friend of mine! Aragorn and I attack the dark riders, and the fact we are attacking them with light energy has clearly taken them by surprise. Their demonic horses rear up in fear of the light. But I’m not interested in the horses, I’m after the wraith riding on the horse’s back! I jump up and swipe with my blade, splitting the black robes in half and eliciting a horrible shriek. I hear another shriek from the one Aragorn attacks. Then I hear one of them laughing.

I turn and Aragorn turns at the same time and one of the ring wraiths has snuck up from behind on foot and is holding Frodo by a foot. He is laughing manically, and says we have lost. I tell him not to count his rings before they’re won. He seems in a mood to gloat rather than take his prize and run, and he says if we even try to approach him we will get Frodo back piece by piece. I feign that I am striking the ground in frustration… and I unleash Alex Mercer tendrils into the ground. The tendrils, also charged with light energy like my blade, erupt right underneath the ring wraith holding Frodo. They blast right through the ring wraith, eliciting another horrible shriek. The ring wraith disappears into nothing more than a black robe, dropping Frodo. One of the tendrils gently wraps around Frodo and lowers him safely to the ground before I withdraw them. Upon seeing that, the other ring wraiths flee.

Aragorn looks at me strangely, but is more concerned about Frodo. We both go over to check on Frodo. He definitely is not looking well, it seems being in such close proximity to the ring wraith has only accelerated his sickness. He is phasing between solid and semi-transparant right now, and he looks to be in pain. I transform my blade back to normal and then focus on the song Voices from the Macross Plus soundtrack to use it as a healing song. Golden energy gathers around Frodo, and at the same time I notice that the sunshine is once again reaching the ground. The healing energy flows into Frodo, and he immediately looks better. He opens his eyes, and is no longer phasing in and out. He remains solid now. He is looking at me strangely as I finish the song. He says something about me being a fair elf maiden. I say no, I am no elf maiden, just a healer doing what I can to help. I tell Aragorn that I sense there is still a piece of the evil blade inside Frodo, but Elrond of Rivendell has the skill to heal that. I don’t try to remove it myself, because even now I feel I am about to wake up. Aragorn still wants to know who I am. I tell him if there is need, I will be back, and maybe we can talk more then. Everything fades to black and I wake up.