2

Isildur was back in Osgiliath. He felt as strong as ever, but his mind was broken. There were no enemies, but still he felt a need to fight, an emptiness what needed to be filled.

Isildur tried the ring, but it gave him little. He noticed that he vanished from others sight, but his senses were sharpened, and he started to list around Osgiliath at night watching people in silence. However, people were content, and it did not bring ease or satisfaction to him.

One early morning he returned to his room exhausted. He slipped pass the two guards who were to protect him. He fell quickly into a dream, but it quickly became a nightmare. He could not tell the difference between being a sleep or awoke, so he perceived the scream of one of the guards as a dream, while it was not.

Hirgon, he loyal servant entered the room with a bloody knife. He quickly jumped on Isildurs bed.

He held his knife to Isildurs throat.

"What is the secret of the power you held, that no one else have?" He screamed.

Isildur turned his head and looked at the small shrine on the bedside table.

Hirgon instantly threw himself over the bed and tried to grab it but missed.

Isildur was over him and kick him away from the bed.

The door opened and in came Elendur and several guards. Elendur rushed towards Hirgon and before he could react, Elendur struck him; killing him.

Isildur slowly approached his son.

"Hirgon;" he said; "he has always been loyal to me. What made him do this?"

Elendur said; "he heard you in the mountains father. I know you have it. Please be careful that others might want it."

Isildur said; "give me your sword son."

Elendur was surprised over his farther but handed the shaft to him.

Isildur pointed the sword towards Elendur.

"You will always be loyal to me, will you not son?" he said.

Elendur said; "you are my father. Of all the power I know of none can break my loyalty to you."

Isildur calmed down; he looked at Hirgons body. He said; "Hirgon wanted power, that is what turned him against me."

Elendur said; "father, I really think we should travel north to see mother and Valandil again. You will be relieved as you travel north.

Isildur said; "we will do that, son."

"It was hot when I first took it, hot as a glede, and my hand was scorched, so that I doubt if ever again I shall be free of the pain of it. ... But for my part I will risk no hurt to this thing: of all the works of Sauron the only fair. It is precious to me, though I buy it with great pain."

Isildur used the Palantir in Osgiliath to tell his wife that he would be travelling north to meet her and Valandil. He saw Vorondil in the Palantir, but Vorondome could not see him clearly. She recognized him, but it was no longer the man of Numenor who she married.

Vorondome travelled from Amon Sul to Imladris and told Elrond her story.

He answered, "Even the strongest of men can make bad choices. The powers that Isildur now holds will not let him become in control of them, as he, the heir of my brother, is to strong to become nothing, and will eventually become a threat to him who created these powers."

Isildur left Osgiliath with around two hundred men. He and his three eldest sons' bit Meneldil farewell and headed north. He did not have horses for all, so they travel faster that one would do walking.

When they reached the burial place of his father Isildur walked to the top of the hill alone.

There he took the ring and placed it on his finger.

He said: "father, this has become mine. I will use it solely to create the Numenorean peace in Middle Earth."

He raised his hands against the sky and shouted; "I will command all to obey me."

His words made the forest become alive. A group of birds departed for the north.

His sons and followers also noticed them. They looked like a swarm of crows heading north.

When Isildur united with his men he old them that they would be travelling north, following the Anduin river instead of heading towards Angrenost.

"I want to thank our allies in the war;" he said.

/* placeholder for the disaster at gladden fields */