The Blue Mountains

[Ithaeliel]

"Aure entuluva!" came the cry of two voices.

Radagast and the others lifted their heads to see the two warriors Mattius and Endereth standing at the edge of the clearing, side by side, their blades drawn. For the moment they seemed archangels sent by the Valar, invincible warriors sent to rid the world of evil. The barrow-wights shrank back in fear. These were two whose guardians kept a constant watch. The two glanced briefly at each other before attacking with such ferocity that their opponents jumped back before rushing them.

Ender slashed and stabbed at the pallid forms around her, aiming mainly at their arms and hands. She heard their shrieks as they recoiled from the blows that had been dealt to them. Momentarily, there were none who could gain the upper hand, so she looked toward the horizon. Through a thin space in the trees, she could see a thin white line form in the darkness. Dawn would soon come.

Mattius' and Endereth's eyes met. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked her as he hacked at an attacking wight.
"If what you're thinking is what I'm thinking," Endereth said with a sly grin, "then to the barrows!"

Radagast, Faye, Olo and Rothalle seemed to understand what they meant as they saw the first sign of dawn. Running faster than any of them ever had, they took their path to a long row of barrows, which they positioned themselves to block. Turning, they saw themselves being pursued by an onslaught of angry barrow-wights. Shrieking and moaning, the hideous spirits jumped at the fighters, only to be volleyed back by the blows of sword, staff, knife and body. Even as they fought, the sky began to glow with a golden light, and the wights shrank back further westward, fearing and hating the sunlight as a snaga fears its master. Soon the company would be rid of their menace.