the shards of narsil. the blade that cut the ring from sauron's hand. boromir picks up the sword and gently touches the blade. close on: a small bloom of blood appears on boromir's finger. still sharp. but no more than a broken heirloom. replaces the broken blade, but it clatters to the floor. boromir walks away, leaving strider sitting alone. so it is true! it is a gift. a gift to the foes of mordor! why not use this ring? long has my father, the steward of gondor, held the forces of mordor at bay. by the blood of our people are your lands kept safe. give gondor the weapon of the enemy. let us use it against him! and what would a ranger know of this matter? aragorn? this is isildur's heir? gondor needs no king. one does not simply walk into mordor. its black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. there is evil there that does not sleep and the great eye is ever watchful. it is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust. the very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. not with ten thousand men could you do this. it is folly. and if we fail, what then? what happens when sauron takes back what is his? you carry the fate of us all, little one. if this is indeed the will of the council, then gondor will see it done. get away from the blade, pippin. on your toes. good, very good. i want you to react, not think. move your feet. it's moving fast. against the wind. merry. pippin. sam. take cover! wide on: the fellowship scramble under what little cover it is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing. such a little thing. as you wish. i care not. we must get off the mountain! make for the gap of rohan and take the west road to my city. this is no mine. it's a tomb! we make for the gap of rohan. we should never have come here. legolas! they have a cave troll! what is this new devilry? give them a moment. for pity's sake! i will find no rest here. i heard her voice inside my head. she spoke of my father and the fall of gondor, and she said to me: "even now, there is hope left. but i cannot see it. it is long since we had any hope. my father is a noble man, but his rule is failing and our. our people lose faith. he looks to me to make things right. and i would do it, i would see the glory of gondor restored. have you ever seen it, aragorn? the white tower of ecthelion, glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, its banners caught high in the morning breeze. have you ever been called home by the clear ringing of silver trumpets? one day our paths will lead us there, and the tower guards shall take up the call "the lords of gondor have returned." none of us should wander alone; you least of all. so much depends on you. frodo? i know why you seek solitude. you suffer, i see it day by day. are you sure you do not suffer needlessly? let me help you. there are other ways, frodo. other paths that we might take. warning? against what? we are all afraid, frodo. but to let that fear drive us to destroy what hope we have. don't you see that is madness? i ask only for the strength to defend my people. if you would but lend me the ring. why do you recoil? i am no thief. what chance do you think you have? they will find you, they will take the ring and you will beg for death before the end. you fool! it is not yours save by unhappy chance. it might have been mine. it should be mine. give it to me! give me the ring. i see your mind. you will take the ring to sauron. you will betray us! you go to your death and the death of us all. curse you! curse you and your halflings! boromir stumbles and falls. his body shakes as if in the throes of a fit. slowly he comes to. frodo! frodo! what have i done. please, frodo. i'm sorry, frodo. frodo. run! run! they took the little ones. aragorn quickly tries to staunch the flow of blood from boromir's shoulder. frodo. where is frodo? then you did what i could not. i tried to take the ring from him. forgive me, i did not see. i have failed you all. leave it! it is over. the world of men will fall and all will come to darkness and my city to ruin. aragorn. our people. our people. i would have followed you, my brother. my captain, my king. aragorn lays boromir down. he is dead.