An: here is another chapter for you all to enjoy
Disclaimer: I only own My Oc's
Addendum: this has been edited with the help of my good friend Jacob Sailer I recommend you check his stories out for now I hope you enjoyed the superior draft of this chapter.
The Lone Ranger, and The Wandering Wizard
Viridian lept into the air, the snake staff just barely missing his head, and landed on top one of the hills. He quick-drew his blaster and shot at one of the warriors in the chest. The warrior staggered back a bit, a burning hole simmering with smoke in his sternum, but kept coming!
'Okay, his armor is blaster resistant. Aim for the head.' Viridian thought to himself and shot the warrior in the head, falling to the ground in haze of smoke. One of the other warrior's screamed in rage and performed a slight twitch in his hand and wrist, and the creature he was holding sprayed something in his direction. Viridian jumped to another hill and avoided the spray as it layered the stone in a thick green slime: any grass it landed on shriveled up and died in a matter of minutes.
'Great. Snake creatures can spray venom. Avoid at all cost.' he thought as he shot another warrior in the head, leaving only four to go.
Just then an arrow whizzed through the air and struck one of the Vong in the head, dropping him to the floor. Viridian took the distraction to blast another one in the head leaving only two to warriors to fight, who quickly took cover. With that, Viridan put his blaster away and leapt into the circle with his lightsaber active. One of the warrior's snarled and did another hand gesture and the snake hardened into a staff! Viridian cleaved at the warrior's shoulder, but the Vong simply batted his strike away, and wickedly smirked at him. Viridian clenched his teeth and cleaved again at the Vong, only this time to kick the warrior square in the chest and to the floor. He heard movement behind him, and turned to the other only to see that he was tackled by a man, who quickly slit the Vong's throat.
Viridian rose to his classic combat stance, blade held forward in both hands as he readied for the other man to make the first move. But… he didn't. He simply looked at him with the astonishment and suspicion as Viridian had given him. The man's appearance was gruff and almost dirty with wiry black hair, and a jaw defined by a thick beard. He wore a dark cloak and what Viridian assumed was traveling clothes. Viridian watched the man closely as he sheathed his dagger, tracing down to his hip where a longsword lay. He could also make out the outline of a bow and quiver hanging from his back, hidden underneath the cloak. Then the man rose, showing his monstrous height, easily towering a head over him. He then smiled softly, and gestured behind the young Jedi.
Viridian turned, the Vong warrior attempting to rush him again only for Viridian to beat him to the punch! He charged him first, pouncing on him like a panther and kicking right down to the ground. He then plucked his staff from him, crushing its head beneath his boot. The Vong warrior snarled up at him, and Viridian replied by putting his boot on the warrior's throat. Viridian made sure his captive was helpless before turning his attention back to the towering bear of a man, who simply watched him in silent observation. The Vong blurted out curses and obscenities in his warrior tongue. Viridian glared at him and growled: "Alright then, mystery alien! I have a few questions for you!"
The Vong Warrior glared at Viridian in absolute seething rage, "You gave them a warrior's death but you don't give me the same kindness? YOU SHAME ME!" The warrior bellowed in the same heavily accented basic as the rest.
"I fail to see how that's my problem," Viridian growled smirking, "You shot me and my friends out of the sky! Do you think I give a damn about your 'honor system'?"
"You mock me." the warrior growled, "When Yun'Yuuzhen is released, you will wish you had never existed!"
Viridian just rolled his eyes, "Oh, I'm so scared!" he smirked with mock fear, "Enough of this. Tell me what I want to know! Who are the Yuuzhan Vong?" Viridian bellowed, the Warrior only glaring contemptuously at Viridian in utter silence, "So this is how it's going to be eh?" Viridian roared, kicking the warrior in the head; effectively knocking him out.
Viridian turned to the man who watched the encounter, embarrassment locked on his face, "Sorry you had to see that."
"Think nothing of it lad," the man smiled warmly, his voice was soft yet powerful, introducing himself with a bow, "I am Celebion, Ranger of the Dunedain,"
"I am Viridian of the Jedi order." Viridian reciprocated.
"Hmmm… I saw a star fall from the sky but I did not think there'd be life from other worlds. The Valar must have had a hand in it," Celebion mused as he circled the Jedi in fascination.
"The Valar?" Viridian asked curiously
"Oh, of course, you probably have different names for them," Celebion chuckled embarrassingly, "they are deities."
"Oh I see... uh, well, we believe that Humans were seeded across the stars by a group we call the Celestials," Viridian explained, "Maybe the Celestials and the Valar are one in the same."
"Perhaps." the ranger nodded in agreement before turning his attention to the warrior Viridian had knocked out, "Would you like some rope to tie him up if you still wish to question him?"
Viridian turned to the warrior and nodded, "If you have any to spare." Viridian answered.
The Ranger pulled out a rope from his sack as Viridian moved to remove the armor from the warrior. After that, Celebion worked to bind the warrior with the rope, "I have seen many orcs in my time but these ones… it seems more dangerous."
"Orcs?" Viridian asked.
"As much as I would love to explain these things to you, Viridian, I suggest we put as much distance between us and these cursed lands as possible before dark."
"Cursed?!" Viridian asked in alarm as the ranger made a clicking noise and a horse rushed over. With that they mounted the warrior on the steed and made their way out of the barrows, reaching the end of them a few hours later.
"You said that those lands were cursed. How?" Viridian asked.
Celebion sighed, anger and bitterness heavy in his eyes, "The Witch Lord of Angmar sent evil spirits and placed them into the bodies that inhabit the Barrows: turning them into the Barrow Wights. They are a terrifying creatures of evil and one should be cautious when they go to the Barrow Downs."
Viridian just sighed in sympathy: "When did this happen?"
"Centuries ago." Celebion stated.
"Well atleast you nothing to worry about from the Witch Lord-" Viridian started.
"Don't speak of things you don't understand." Celebion interrupted, the warning heavy in his tone.
"I'm sorry… wait, are you saying this Witch Lord is still alive?!" Viridian asked surprised
"He is Nazgul, the fist of the nine. Neither living nor dead." Celebion answered grimly.
"What's a Nazgul?" Viridian asked, only for Celebion to sigh exasperatedly.
"They were once great kings of men, but the Dark Lord Sauron gave them nine rings of power. Blinded by their greed and lust for power the took them without question, and now they are slaves to his will. They are ringwraiths: the Dark Lord's most deadliest servants."
"I see… I have seen many a strange things in my time but this really takes first place in terms of strangeness." Viridian mused.
"...So tell me, Viridian of the Jedi, where do you come from?" Celebion asked, both to change the subject and because he was curious.
"I come from a world called Coruscant. The entire place is covered in great spires and all around there are vessels that fly in the air. The temple I grew up in is one of those spires: it is also full of all types of people from all walks of life."
"Such a world sounds crowded, I think I prefer this one over that." Celebion comentented amusingly.
"I don't blame you," Viridian admitted, "personally I'd prefer another world like Dantoine. It's a farming world and it's peaceful."
"You've been to other worlds?" Celebion asked him, astonished. Viridian simply shrugged.
"Space and interplanetary travel is as normal for me as riding waggons and sailing ships are for you."
"Amazing," Celebion replied in awe. With that, the duo walked in silence for a while. Viridian occasionally had to knock the warrior out again every so often.
"So where are we going?" Viridian asked.
"To my camp, just north of the Shire," he answered, "there we can interrogate this orc and see what he knows."
"What is an orc?" Viridian asked curiously.
"The Orcs are a creation of the first Dark Lord, Morgoth. It is believed that they were elves once but Morgoth tortured, and mutilated many of them until they became what they are today: an aggressive war like society that only desires to kill all in their path and takes pleasure in causing suffering."
"Hmn." Viridian hummed as he looked back at the warrior still bound on the horse, "He didn't call himself an orc though he called himself a Yuuzhan Vong."
Celebion looked back at the warrior, "Perhaps a new breed of orc than."
"Unless the orcs have space capabilities than this guy isn't even an orc." Viridian added.
"... so what do you suggest?" Celebion asked
"I don't know. The sooner we interrogate this guy the better."
With that the quickened their pace to the Ranger's camp, reaching it within the hour.
After arriving at the camp, which was just a tent with a fire pit and a cooking pot, Viridian and the Ranger tied the Vong to a nearby tree.
"That should hold him. I need to go hunting for tonight's supper can you watch the camp?" Celebion asked.
"Of course." Viridian nodded and sat down at the base of a tree to keep an eye on the Vong and the camp; taking the time to meditate.
Celebion meanwhile, was hot on the trail of a young buck; following it for about three miles before he saw his target in a clearing. He quietly took an arrow and nocked it; steadying his breath as he took aim.
The Arrow flew true and struck its target in the heart. The Deer bolted in pain, and ran a few steps, but succumbed to its wound before he could get any sort of distance. With that, he hoisted it over his shoulders and began his trek back only to stop in his tracks when someone called out to him, "Ranger!"
Celebion turned to see the newcomer. His eyes widened in pleasant surprise and he smiled welcomingly.
Viridian roused out of his meditation when he sensed a powerful entity approaching. It was powerful in the Light Side of the Force, but also something else that Viridian couldn't place. Whatever it was, it was getting closer. He leaped into the branches above him, waiting for whoever it was to reveal itself.
He looked down and saw that Celebion had returned with some kind of animal on his shoulders but he also had company: an elderly man wearing a grey cloak and a blue pointed hat. He also wore a silver scarf, which his waist length gray beard hid. He had long grey stringy hair, and bushy eyebrows that peered out of the brim of his hat.
"Hmm, I wonder where this young man you told me is," the newcomer mused with a sagely smile, "I only see the orc there."
"I don't know Mithrandir. He was here when I left," Celebion stated in alarm. Just then, Viridian dropped down from his hiding spot and made himself known. Celebion looked up from where he came from and then at Viridian, smirking, "Oh, there you are."
"My apologies, I sensed a powerful presence approach and I didn't want to take any chances, but I see my fears are unfounded." Viridian apologized with a bow.
"You have nothing to apologize for my young friend," Mithrandir smiled reassuringly, "it is wise for you to take measures to defend yourself."
"Well said," Viridian nodded and stretched out his hand, "my name is Viridian."
"I am known by many names but most call me Gandalf," Gandalf said warmly as he shook his hand, "Gandalf the Grey."
"Mithrandir, will you eat with us?" Celebion asked.
Gandalf looked at the bound warrior uncertainly, "I think we should interrogate him first to see what he is here for."
With that Viridian walked up to the warrior and lightly slapped him on the face, "Oy! Wake up!" Viridian prodded; causing the warrior to stir and wake up as soon as he saw his surroundings. He glared at Viridian.
"I have studied the Je'daii ways and from my reports what you are doing goes against that 'philosophy'," the Vong smugly told Viridian.
Viridian just stared at the warrior blankly, "Tell me have you been a Jedi before?"
The warrior was confused by that question, "No."
"Than keep your tongue in check about the things you don't understand." Viridian growled, "also there's nothing saying that I can't interrogate you."
"Viridian if I may." Gandalf interjected, Viridian backed off and Gandalf strode up to the Warrior, kneeling before him. He stared hard into the Vongs eyes, and though the Vong attempted the same only found he couldn't, and turned away in fear, "so tell me, what is a servant of Sauron doing all the way over here?" Gandalf asked.
"I serve no 'Sauron'! I serve Yun-Yuuzhan." the warrior answered much to his own surprise.
Gandalf just nodded, "Ah, I see. So who is this Yun-Yuuzhan?" he asked.
"Yun-Yuuzhan is the greatest god of the Yuuzhan Vong! The one who through his sacrifice created us and the other gods." the Vong Warrior answered, his eyes wide in utter surprise; shouting, "What is this, why am I answering your questions?!"
"What are the Yuuzhan Vong?" Gandalf asked firmly.
The Vong attempted to struggle against the spell but it proved futile, "We are the chosen race. We come from a far off place. We spent millennia traveling through the void between stars," he stammered, black blood oozing from where his nose would be.
"You're from a far-flung Galaxy?" Viridian asked astonished. He looked at Celebion, explaining, "Not even we have done that."
"So you aren't orcs?" Celebion asked.
"The ones you call Orcs are our distant brothers also created by Yun-Yuuzhen." the warrior said, much to the group's surprise.
"Morgoth created the orcs." Gandalf corrected.
"Unless this Yun-Yuuzhan and this Morgoth are one in the same." Viridian suggested, that was a chilling thought to the natives of Arda.
"Yun-Yuuzhan will be released and you will die, Je'daii!" the warrior growled.
"Are we done with him?" Celebion asked.
"Yes I have everything I need." Viridian confirmed.
"How many of you are here on Arda?" Gandalf asked forcefully.
The Vong appeared to be having an aneurysm now, "a whole civilization… and a legion of warriors." the warrior answered, his eyes bleeding as he begged, "K-kill me, please!"
Viridian pitied the warrior in that moment, "Should we kill him?" Viridian asked the group.
"Please Je'daii, don't offer me mercy! Just kill me! You have already shamed me! You would only make it worse if you send me back! Please just kill me." he started crying now.
Gandalf sighed in pity, "Celebion, do it."
The ranger grabbed his knife and drove the blade into the Warrior's skull, ending his life in an instant. He untied him and the body dropped forward onto its stomach; cold as the ground they stood on.
Viridian let out a breath, "Now what?"
"We leave the body. I lost my appetite." Celebion said as he gathered his things.
"Yeah, I did too." Viridian agreed as he strode over to the horse and studied the armor of the warrior.
Gandalf let out a sigh, "Viridian." Gandalf started getting the lad's attention.
"Yes, Gandalf?" Viridian asked as he held one of the crab creatures that served as the Vongs armor.
"Would you be willing to join me on a quest?" Gandal asked
"What kind of quest?" Viridian asked curiously. This also sparked Celebion's curiosity as well.
"A quest to reclaim a mountain." Gandalf answered, then he explained the whole quest in detail from the dragon Smaug and his takeover of Erebor and who would be leading the quest.
"Would this Thorin Oakenshield even have me go with him?" Viridian asked.
"It would be in his best interest to take you with him should you encounter the Vong." Gandalf told him.
Viridian turned to Celebion, "What about you? Would you go with us as well?"
Celebion thought about it for a moment, answering, "I will go but not because of the treasure. I just need to cross the mountains."
"Thorin would accept that answer, but why would a ranger of the Dunedain want to cross the mountains?" Gandalf asked.
"... To find my daughter." Celebion answered after a moment.
Gandalf nodded in understanding, "How goes the search?"
"It is fruitless as of the moment, but I still hope."
"How long have you been looking?" Viridian asked.
"Twelve years. I have searched all of Eriador and even gone as far as Rohan but I had to answer the call of my fellow rangers and stop my search for a while." Celebion answered sadly.
"I wish to help you." Viridian stated, "and Thorin as well if he'll have me."
"Viridian, you don't need to help me. I would never impose on you." Celebion told him.
"Part of being a Jedi is to help those in need. I wish to help you, Celebion; you helped me with those Vong back there. At least allow me to return the favor." Viridian stated.
Celebion looked at him with tears in his eyes, "I'd appreciate it, Viridian. Thank you."
Viridian turned to Gandalf, "So, where do we need to go?"
"Tomorrow, we'll be having a party at the last member of our company's house, so I suggest you go to the green dragon inn and sleep there tonight," Gandalf told them, "tomorrow we can discuss much more with the rest of the company."
Viridian nodded in agreement, than tilted his head, "Where's the Green Dragon Inn."
"Worry not, my friend." Celebion assured him, "I'll show you."
"Wait don't we have to pay I don't think they'd accept my currency?" Viridian asked worried.
"The hobbits will accept the deer I killed as a fair trade." Celebion assured him.
"If you're sure." Viridian nodded. With that the Ranger and the Jedi made their way into the Shire to get rooms at The Green Dragon Inn for the evening; all the while Viridian hoped his friends were doing well.
An: okay I could use a bit of feedback on how well passed this chapter was, was it okay, rushed or slow please let me know.
well see you next time hopefully I hope you all enjoyed.