“Fly, fly! The Enemy is upon us!”***

Though I heard Glorfindel’s cries of alarm, I was loath to separate from those who were calling me… It would have been so easy to just give in right then, to put on the Ring and let them claim me. But my resolution of escape and the anger at their pursuit stirred me on for a last attempt of escape. I had traveled too far to have darkness claim me.

I held on to Asfaloth with all of my waning strength and felt him ride forward at Glorfindel’s command.

I only wished for a reprieve of this pain, darkness, and fear, but at that time it seemed like it was too much to ask. I could not bear to think otherwise on what might happen if I could not manage to escape.

The wind buffeted against my face ceaselessly as I saw that the Black Riders were converging in my path, coming quickly up from behind. The five Black Riders were gaining on me, but they were no match against the great Elven steed.

The icy chill gripped me as tightly as ever, and it did not help that the grey mist obscured my vision to color everything in grey shadows, just like how the nightmares of the past nights were like. Darkness and grey mist mingled together to give me no comfort in the living world. Though I did not know how much longer I could live in the world of Light, I knew that I could not let them obtain what they came to seek!

The wind blew against me as sharply as the Ring-wraiths’ cries of rage filled me with terror. Leaning against the fast galloping horse, I peered at the side of Asfaloth’s head and could clearly see three Riders block my path.

But Asfaloth managed to skillfully veer sharply towards the side and evade them by too narrow a margin. I gasped, for the speed had made me feel disoriented and as dizzy as ever. I could almost feel their icy hands grasp me, filling all my senses with dread and unimaginable fear. Fell whispers murmured in my ears, encouraging me to give in to the darkness, give up the Ring and be free of a painful and torturous existence…

Unconsciously, my hand reached up to my bosom where the Ring lay… but no, my will stirred once more and stopped my hand from holding onto the Ring and forced it instead to hold on steadfastly to Asfaloth’s mane. Forcing myself to continue to try to focus upon escape, I tried to block out the increase of fell voices that tempted me into submission.

The sound of water splashing upon my feet brought me back to the present task and helped keep me conscious of the task at hand. I dimly saw that we had quickly galloped across the fast current of the Bruinen Ford.

There was still a chance for escape… but my heart sank as I heard the dreaded hoof-steps follow closely behind, splashing upon the foamy waters as Asfaloth had done before. I had no idea how far it was to Rivendell, and it would be folly to think that with the narrow roads ahead, I could have any chance of escaping.

The view of the Nine was as clear as ever. White and gleaming, their horrific helms and faces were awful to behold. Anger was clearly outlined in their haggard faces while they held out their swords threateningly. They had started to cross the River.

My heart pounded loudly as my hand involuntarily clutched the dreadful Ring again. They could not have the Ring. But as fearful as I was, I defiantly unsheathed my sword instead and cried,

“Go back to Mordor and follow me no more!” ***

They mocked me and cried back in their horrific voices, “To Mordor we will take you! The Ring, the Ring! WE must have the Ring!”

Their whispers were not only murmuring in my head but also now pounding against my resolve and my determination, giving much force against my last attempt to refuse.

With a last effort raising my sword in the air, I cried out with a voice unusually shrill and unfamiliar to me,

“By Elbereth and Luthien the Fair, you shall have neither the Ring nor me!”***

At that moment, my body paralyzed with intensified coldness and pain yet I could not scream. My sword broke into shards and the stubborn icy chill that gripped upon me made me feel darkness start to close in, dragging me down towards the ground.

But suddenly a bright light and great white waves flaring red had seemed to form, and just before I fell into complete oblivion, I thought I saw giant white foamy horses come crashing down upon my enemies and me as I ceased to remember any more.

***From Book 1 Chapter 12 Flight to the Ford, Fellowship of the Ring