Sammath Naur

Bloodied, wearied, we crawled up to the Sammath Naur. “Only there can the Ring destroyed,” I repeated, over and over, until anger smouldered in his eyes. I dared not send him alone. Though I loved Isildur well, I did not always trust him.

Standing at the precipice, limned in flames, he smiled, mocking me. Then he tossed it up into the air, spinning it to twist and dance, pulling back his outstretched hand just in time. The Ring plunged downward.

“Done,” he whispered.

Arm in arm, laughing and weeping with relief, we stumbled out as the mountain collapsed around us.

For the "Different Decisions" challenge at tolkien_weekly