<Nightfall: Sam is asleep but Frodo is still awake. He is holding the Ring in the palm of his hand and stroking it, mesmerized. Suddenly he hears Gollum.>
Gollum: Sooo bright. Sooo beautiful. <Frodo quickly puts the Ring back inside his shirt. He looks up to see Gollum crouching away from him, stroking the centre of his palm> our preciousss...
Frodo: What did you say?
Gollum: Master should be resting. Master needs to keep up his strength.
Frodo: <Moves over and crouches in front of Gollum> Who are you?
Gollum: Mustn’t ask us. Not its business. *Gollum, Gollum*
Frodo: Gandalf told me you were one of the River Folk.
Gollum: Cold be heart and hand and bone. Cold be travellers far from home.
Frodo: He said your life was a sad story.
Gollum: They do not see what lies ahead, when sun has failed and moon is dead.
Frodo: You were not so very different from a hobbit once, were you... Sméagol?
Gollum: <Looks up slowly.> What did you call me?
Frodo: That was your name once, wasn’t it? A long time ago.
Gollum: My name... My name... S... S...Sméagol…
<Suddenly, the piercing cries of the Nazgûl are heard overhead>
Gollum: Argh!!
Sam: Black Riders!
Gollum: Hide! Hide!
Frodo: Argh!
<Suddenly Frodo feels the pain of the Nazgûl's sword piercing him and the call of the Ring. Images of the Ringwraiths come to him in flashes.>
Frodo: Argh!!
Sam: C’mon Frodo! C'mon!
<Frodo continues to clutch at the Ring on his chest, immobilized. Sam drags Frodo across to hide beneath some bramble bushes. The Nazgûl appears, tightening his hold on the reins. Camera then shows him riding a Fell Beast, swooping down across the marsh lands. Chilling screams of the Nazgûl fill the air.>
Gollum: Quick! They will see us! They will see us!
Sam: I thought they were dead!
Gollum: Dead? No, you cannot kill them. No.
<A loud screech from the Nazgûl flying high above the marshes.>
Gollum: <cowering> Wraiths! Wraiths on wings! They are calling for it. They are calling for the preciousss.
<Frodo feels the call of the Ring and gropes for his necklace. Sam sees this and grabs hold of Frodo’s hand.>
Sam: Mr. Frodo! It’s alright. I’m here.
<The Nazgûl continues to circle overhead and then flies off towards Mordor.>
Gollum: Hurry, hobbits. The Black Gate is very close.
<Scene returns to Fangorn forest. Gimli fingers a dark stain on a leaf and brings it to his mouth.>
Gimli: <Spits> Ptui! Orc blood.
Aragorn: These are strange tracks.
Gimli: The air is so close in here.
Legolas: This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory... and anger.
<Groans reverberate through the forest and Gimli raises his axe.>
Legolas: The trees are speaking to each other.
Aragorn: <Whispers> Gimli!
Gimli: Huh?
Aragorn: <Gestures> Lower your axe.
Gimli: <Lowering his axe slowly> Oh.
Legolas: Aragorn, nad nâ ennas! (Something is out there.)
Aragorn: Man cenich? (What do you see?)
<Close-up of Legolas’ eyes>
Legolas: The White Wizard approaches.
Aragorn: Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us.
<Aragorn wraps his hand around the hilt of his sword, Gimli tightens his hold on his axes, and Legolas notches an arrow to his bow.>
Aragorn: We must be quick.
<With a yell, the three swing round to attack. Gimli’s axe and Legolas’ arrow are deflected. Aragorn drops his sword as it becomes red hot in his grasp. They shield their eyes with their hands from the bright light emanating from the White Wizard.>
White Wizard: You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits.
Aragorn: Where are they?
White Wizard: They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?
Aragorn: Who are you? Show yourself!
<The bright light dims, revealing Gandalf, all dressed in white. The three are astounded. Legolas and Gimli bow.>
Aragorn: It cannot be. You fell.
Gandalf: Through fire and water. <Flashback: Gandalf is battling the Balrog atop Dúrin’s Tower.> From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought with the Balrog of Morgoth.
<Gandalf holds up Glamdring and a flash of lightning strikes it before he plunges the sword into the Balrog. With a final cry, the Balrog falls from the peak and lands, smoking, onto the icy mountainside.>
Gandalf: Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside.
<On top of the mountain, Gandalf crawls a bit and then collapses.>
Gandalf: Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time. <Camera zooms in Gandalf’s eye and enters an amorphous realm of stars and galaxies, ending in a blinding white light> Stars wheeled overhead and everyday was as long as a life-age of the earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again.
<Camera zooms out from Gandalf’s eye, lying naked and very still. His hair has turned white and wounds are completely healed. He suddenly shudders with a deep gasp and pants as life returns to him>
Gandalf: I've been sent back until my task is done.
Aragorn: Gandalf!
Gandalf: Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name. <He smiles>
Gimli: Gandalf!
Gandalf: <With a twinkle in his eye> I am Gandalf the White. <Aragorn grins> And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.
<They walk through the forest, with Gandalf leading the way, now wearing a grey cloak over his white robes.>
Gandalf: One stage of your journey is over, another begins. War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed.
<Outside the forest, Gandalf whistles piercingly. Soon an answering neigh is heard and a white horse appears from the plain, answering the call.>
Legolas: That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell.
<The horse comes round to stop in front of Gandalf.>
Gandalf: Shadowfax. <Gimli bows in the background.> He's the lord of all horses and he's been my friend through many dangers.
<The Three Hunters and Gandalf ride across the plains to Edoras.>
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