Saruman climbed the tower slowly, for many reasons. One reason was that as he got closer to his destination, the ring got that much heavier. Another was Saruman's own mix of emotions consisting of anxiety, excitement, and even fear were entering his system. He was about to complete the cycle and resurrect an ancient foe that hadn't been seen in Middle-Earth for generations. Centuries. He wasn't exactly sure what to expect. Would Sauron turn on him? Would they remain allies? Would he be cast aside as just another pawn on the table? Regardless, he couldn't dwell on anything.
When his escorts opened a door, Saruman knew they had reached their destination. The room not only was open to the peak of Barad-dûr, where Saruman saw the Eye of Sauron glaring down at him, flaring and pulsing as he sensed his prize enter the room, but standing in front of him, were the fallen Kings of old. Each of the Nazgûl stood in the room, their dark hoods all looking in Saruman's direction. Saruman was unsure if the Nazgûl knew of his earlier interest in keeping the ring, but none of them moved or said a word. In front of them, in the middle of the room, was an empty bowl on a pedestal. The central figure of the Nazgûl, pointed to the bowl, and a rasp and cold voice spoke.
"Place it in the vessel...now...it begins..."
Saruman didn't even nod as he slowly approached the vessel, and reached into his cloak. When he retracted his hand, it held onto the chain that Frodo had kept it on. The ring dangled in front of them, and the Eye grew intensely bright. Even the Nazgûl reacted when the ring fell into sight. It was as if they began to cringe at the idea that it was going to be a matter of minutes before their dark master stood before them again. It made Saruman wonder what exactly it felt like to be as they were. Immortal, unhindered by men. Did they feel powerful? Did they like the roles they played? Or were they regretting? Did they feel tormented and tortured to do the Dark Lord's will without a choice? He approached the vessel,holding the ring out, and hesitated. He wasn't sure if it was the lust of power still in him or something else, but he couldn't easily and willingly give it up so suddenly. The Nazgûl may have sensed this because it approached him. Saruman saw him and after a moment, finally released the chain, and it dropped without a single bounce into the vessel. When it dropped and hit the surface, there was a deafening noise that split through the air. In the distance, Mt. Doom erupted ferociously, while on the ground, every orc of every army fell to the ground as if fully aware of what was happening. Each almost looked like they were in complete fear. Saruman tried to shield out the loud shriek, but was not completely able to do so. Each of the Nine dropped to their knees, and dared not to look upon the sight they now all beheld.
For miles and miles, one could look into the sky, and see it lighting with fire, as if a pillar of fire was shooting into the sky. The shriek traveled far as well. This climactic event was on a scale so large, that even those who dwelled in Gondor, could bear witness to the anomaly, if they were in the right position.
Back in the tower, the shriek got deafening, before there were many claps of what sounded like thunder, and the Eye of Sauron shriveled, and all the flame that had been in the sky, every part of it began to almost...absorb itself into the Ring. The Ring glowed brightly as it absorbed the fire, and it grew in temperature to the point where the chain it was on melted and pooled around it, and the bowl it sat in, which was a white-gray color, began to turn into a charred black.
The last of the flame shot from the sky, and into the Ring. For a moment, there was nothing. The Ring sat in a pool of the molten metal that was once a chain, but after a moment, in another flash, the flame shot out and began to swirl around the pedestal. Saruman backed away as did the Nazgûl, as the swirling flame began to take a certain shape. Saruman slowly looked back to see the flames taking the shape of a physical being. The Nazgûl saw what was going on and dared not look at the figure, but Saruman looked full on. He'd come this far, and he would look at the event he had brought upon this world.
For a moment, there was nothing to see. The fire that had swirled around them began to fade, and turn into a black smoke and thick ash. Mt. Doom burst in a fiery eruption one last time before it calmed and reduced itself to smoking and churning once more. The smoke swirled, but the wind began to blow it away...
The figure the smoke revealed was form similar to that of the Nazgûl, only his body seemed heavily armored. From his feet up, he began to take the form of something...very intimidating. Saruman could feel the presence of Sauron within this...but there was no physical form to see with his eyes. The armor was black, and heavy, and on his hand, the ring sat, attached, and affixed, with the bright inscription starting to burn into the side of the ring once more. Saruman knew all too well what that inscription read, and meant. The figure's head was bowing, looking toward the ground, but slowly lifted. The figure's gaze fell upon Saruman, and Saruman felt his blood run cold.
The figure stood to it's full height, and Saruman lost his breath. He couldn't take his eyes off the dark figure which now stood before him, and fear was the only emotion he felt, aside from awe. However finally, the figure broke his gaze from Saruman and turned to see the Nazgûl, which remained on their knees. He began to speak in the language that Saruman did not understand, and the Nazgûl began to slowly leave the room. At first, Saruman was afraid that Sauron had ordered them to immediately kill him, as if he were angered by the slight sign of betrayal earlier. And perhaps he still was, but the figure turned to Saruman.
"I knew you would so easily wish to claim my power for your own...wizard." Sauron's voiced said, as he began to speak so Saruman could understand. Saruman didn't answer. He could barely get himself to look at Sauron as he stood, rebirthed, and strong. "You would try to overcome the forces of Mordor...try to take Middle-Earth for your own...you were foolish to think that."
Saruman opened his mouth as if to try and give some sort of answer to defend his actions. He couldn't say anything. Sauron had hit the truth head-on. There was no other way to explain it. Sauron turned to look at Saruman once more. "Such treachery is unacceptable amongst my ranks, fallen wizard." The words rang like a death sentence to Saruman, and his grip on his staff tightened. Was Sauron about to kill him? He wouldn't make it easy, even if the odds were heavily against him. "But...you have succeeded where my servants have failed..." Sauron replied. "My Nazgûl were tasked long ago to find my Ring, and to bring it here...they were thwarted many times when they should have succeeded. You began the creation of an army by my request, and you tracked the party which held my prize...and you found it, and brought it here. And you will know, that even I...will reward those who please me. You, Saruman the White...have brought me back into this world, and this has pleased me most definitely."
Saruman heard the words, and he bowed reluctantly, and replied, "Your words, my Lord, are generous, and...I do not deserve to hear them."
"You really don't. But...I can feel your fear. Rise, Saruman. You are not going to die this day, and you will not die by my hand, so long as you continue to please. You are indeed powerful, and have proven yourself a very worthy ally. Your old friend, Gandalf the Grey, he once told you that I do not share power...he was mistaken. Follow me, and you will know just how much power I will give to you, for you alone are the reason I walk again, and such a deed, will not go with no reward. Follow me, without question, white wizard...and I will make you amongst the greatest of my servants. Greater than my strongest lieutenants, greater than the Nazgûl themselves...second only to me..."
Saruman felt the praise wash over him like a wave, and he finally felt the strength return. His grip on his staff relaxed, and he said, "What is your first command, to your servant, my lord?"
Sauron took his first step, and where he stepped, left charred footprints and glowing embers of flame. He beckoned to follow, and Saruman walked alongside him, keeping pace. "For hundreds of years, I lay dormant, and upon my rebirth, I was made aware of a creature that too long kept my ring for himself. A creature of filth named Gollum. He gave me a name...Baggins."
Saruman spoke. "Frodo. He held the ring before I reclaimed it. He traveled in a party of nine. Isengard is now the prison of four of those members."
Sauron took this news with great delight, and said, "I will deal with the one who held my ring, myself...he is to remain unharmed, and treated well..."
"As you command, my Lord." Saruman replied.
"I am also aware that Isildur's heir was amongst the party. And that one of them was killed in the ambush...I wish to know, white wizard...who fell in battle? Is the heir of my enemy, a memory?"
Saruman shook his head. "Aragorn lives. I saw him and the elves flee this land."
"Flee?" Sauron repeated as if somewhat amused. "Aragorn will not easily escape my wrath. The blood of the one who defeated me so long ago runs in his veins...and I will make him suffer."
"My lord, if they have fled, they will have most likely gone for the Grey Havens...we cannot enter there without the aid of the elves..."
"Relax your mind, white wizard..." Sauron replied. "The elves may be far from Middle-Earth...but they have not reached their haven of safety. They too will die by my hand...in this land or another...for now, it is futile they even try to escape to their Undying Lands..."
They came upon a balcony, overlooking Mordor's lands, and once Sauron stepped onto the balcony, every orc in Mordor looked upon him. Saruman looked around, seeing some of the Nazgûl flying their fell beasts. Dragon-like in appearance, but much smaller, they roared in the sky, as they circled Barad-dûr. The armies fell silent as Sauron raised a fist.
"Today..." He called in a cold and deep voice, which though was not deafening, was heard by every orc in Mordor, "The age of men shall fall. The shadow grows faster, and our armies are hidden within. No one alive, can stand against us." At the statement, the orcs chattered in excitement. Sauron however continued. "Let all mortals tremble and despair. Doom has finally come once again, and we will bring the hammer down upon this world. The scarring of this land will begin...very soon."
The cheer in Mordor was great, and Sauron turned to Saruman. "It begins..." He said. "Gather your forces. Soon, we will march upon Men...but we have a job to do first..."
"Whatever the job is...it will be done." Saruman replied.
"I have no belief, that it won't be." Sauron replied, in soft pleasure. "You and I, Saruman, will take a small force in pursuit of the Elves...my sworn enemy has fled...and we will pursue him."
"Across the sea?" Saruman asked.
"Yes...I will work to locate them shortly...but it won't be long...I will locate our enemies...and we will pursue them, and we will crush any who stand in our way of finding them."
