Disclaimer: I only own Ira, Eleniel and Ghardaz.
A/N: Ack, sorry it's been a while. Hopefully updates will pick up in pace over the next week or so, since I'm off school.
Big thanks to: Theoneandonlymrpotato (AWESOME NAME!), andrewrodriguez6433, Lieutenant Paladine, xarvet, Miko 56, LCluvanime and karnillaofnorn for following/favouriting. Cheers, guys!
Review Response(s):
Ny'Kle: Ha, see, that's the sort of response I like ;)
Rhettbutler: Yes, there will be changes (one rather major one is explained in this chapter). In the hobbit books, the dwarves were in Mirkwood for a few days, yes, but remember Ira used her 'magic words' to get them out by bending Thranduil to her will...?
rgss: OMG! Dude, I officially love you. Can't say no to a fez.
Mac Gustah: Thanks for the offer, but I've already been given a fez. XD
kalani. gapido: No probs ;) Interactions between Ghardaz and Gimli may be, at times, somewhat amusing, since dwarves and orcs are both stubborn as mules.
ThePaleMongrel: I know. I know... XP
gabiey: Nice to have you back :) Thanks.
HoodieNinja476 (now THAT is a name): They can't fly, cause they've had their powers drained.
Chapter 10:
Stuffing the necessary equipment in her bag, Ira didn't notice the sound of near-silent footsteps approaching her until a hand gently took hold of her elbow. She recognised the warm callouses immediately, having spent many years getting used to the feel of them.
She turned to face the black haired man, who had a raised eyebrow. "What?" She asked, realising there was that annoying glint to his eye that usually appeared when he was up to something.
He shrugged. "Nothing," he said, "though I suppose it would be good to mention we probably have another two months or so before we leave; Elrond sent out a few scouting parties across this side of the mountains, and they shan't be back for a long while."
Ira sighed and let her pack sag onto the bed, before spinning on her feet and flopping backwards onto her mattress, arms outstretched and dark hair fanning out around her head. "That would have been nice to know a little earlier."
Alduin chuckled. "Deal with it," he said simply.
Ira lifted her head and gave him a flat look that had him rolling his eyes, before he sat on the bed beside her and watched her as she began idly fiddling with the silver ring on her finger. She glanced at him, then noticed that the sword at his hip was the one she had given him on their first night with the company, at Bag End. It made her realise just how much she missed forging, and just how long it had been since she'd last done it. With that in mind, the Dragonborn sprung onto her feet (somewhat catching Alduin off guard, not that he'd ever admit it), and quickly left the room, walking at a hurried pace towards Lord Elrond's office, where she asked for permission to use his forge. He was surprised, but after she assured him she very much knew how to use it, he gave his consent.
Half an hour later, Aragorn found her working the forge, a light sheen of sweat on her forehead as she continued to work. She had used up a few of her remaining fire salts in making it even hotter; a hint she had picked up in her early forging years by a kindly man called Balimund. She was crafting a pair of dual ebony axes, at the request of her new orc friend. Ghardaz had intercepted her on her way and asked if she could do him a favour.
"You appear to be a woman of many talents," Aragorn said as he leaned against a wall, watching her with a ranger's eye.
Without looking up from her work, Ira replied, "Hard not to when you've lived as long as I have. Forging was actually one of the first things I ever learnt." She then chuckled slightly. "But, actually, there are many who are more skilled than I who live a mortal life. You know just how awful I am with a bow, or with magic, for that matter."
"That's simply because you don't have any patience with it. Bows are more difficult to start with than swords, but you tend to become an expert far quicker. As with magic... I think you choose not to learn because it hurts you too much."
Sighing, Ira paused, an idle tear gathering in the corner of her eye. "It's never hurt this much before," she said quietly. "I've had many good friends that have died, heck, I had children who died, and it was never this bad."
Aragorn sent a sympathetic look her way. "Amicitia was, in every way, your other half. And that is the difference."
"Do you ever miss her?" Ira asked.
Aragorn nodded. "I do, although I was only a child when I last saw her."
Ira chuckled. "I remember that meeting," she said, a bit of mirth back in her voice. "I do believe you compared Amy and I to Elrond's twin sons. I had no idea at the time, but right now, I take a little insult in that."
Chuckling, Aragorn defended himself. "You can hardly blame me; I was ten at the time, and was working from only what I could see. I didn't know you then."
Ira waved him off. "I wasn't being serious, so don't fret." She then set to work on the axes again, while Aragorn just watched her in silence. After a few minutes, however, he silently slipped out, leaving her to work on her own. Ira used the heat and the slowly gathering ache in her muscles to put her sister out of her mind.
...
Ira slumped back into her bed several hours later, bearing a couple of burns on her hands, and a thin layer of soot in her hair. She couldn't be bothered to wash it out, and so instead fell asleep without changing or cleaning herself. She had a confusing dream that night.
The world around her was indistinct and blurry, seemingly just a mix of colours. There was light shining towards her from every angle, but it was neither uncomfortably dim nor too bright. Beneath her feet, something feltsolid, but there was nothing visible. She was floating.
After a moment or two, shapes began to appear, dully at first, then with increasing clarity. It took very little time for Ira to realise where she was - Shor's Hall, in Sovngarde. The only thing was, this time, she hadn't gone there herself. Something her pulled her in. The halls were overflowing with people, all drinking and laughing merrily. None seemed to notice her at first, but then, one by one, they turned around to face her. Shock registered on many faces, and then, Ira noticed someone shoving her way through the crowd towards her.
A grin broke onto her face when she saw an old friend of hers. "Gormlaith," she greeted.
"What in Shor's name are you doing here again?" The old warrior asked, frowning.
Ira shrugged. "I don't know." She looked around. "I see you coped well enough with the sudden rush of hundreds of people."
Gormlaith chuckled without humour. "This isn't even a quarter of them. Many have chosen to live outside the halls, simply because there isn't enough space for everyone in here."
Ira raised an eyebrow. "That's worrying."
"Hardly. It was always going to happen."
Jumping, Ira spun around to see Alduin stood there with his arms folded over his chest, a scowl in place. "Oh, Talos, pleasedon't tell me your inside my head." Ira grumbled, rubbing her forehead in frustration.
"I'm not. We're just having the same experience, it would seem."
"Who's that?" Gormlaith asked, understandably suspicious.
"You don't want to know the answer to that, trust me," Ira said before Alduin said anything that would cause a whole hall of angry, skilled warriors to turn on him. "Suffice to say you can trust him."
"Do you?"
"If I didn't, I wouldn't have married him," Ira said with a small shrug. "So..." She glanced around. "Do any of you have any clue as to why we've been summoned here all of a sudden?" This question was met by many shaking heads. A sudden warmth spread behind her, and Ira turned to see a familiar form in front of her, blazing with white light. She, along with everyone else in the room, swiftly got onto one knee, bowing before their Lord.
"Rise, Dragonborn. And you, my son." Ira and Alduin did just that, before standing next to each other, facing him, hoping for some sort of explanation for what was happening on Middle Earth. "For many years now, you have been seeking that which may explain the death of our world. It was not us. Ira," she perked up at being addressed directly, "you were right in your assumptions. We have been infiltrated, and our powers are being drained as we speak."
"How can we stop it?" Alduin queried, the urgency in his voice somewhat surprising the Dragonborn, for he always had a calm head on his shoulders. It was clearly verybad.
"You must destroy Morgoth's puppet."
"No easy feat," Ira stated dryly, "but we are already setting out to do that."
Akatosh shook his 'head'. "It is not Sauron I speak of," he said. "I speak of Fankil, the first leader of Morgoth's armies. It is he who poses a threat to us. Neither Sauron nor Morgoth know of us, but Fankil saw noticed your arrival in Middle Earth almost eighty years ago, and has been working against us ever since. How he learned of us, and our world, is not entirely clear, but with every second he grows in strength. With our power he is creating new breeds of orcs and goblins that possess the attributes of Morgoth's balrogs. Their numbers are growing exponentially."
"Where does he hide them?" Alduin asked. "Keeping an army out of sight is somewhat difficult."
"He hides them within the Iron Mountains."
"Dain's land?" Ira asked, confused. "How could he not know they're there? They're practically on his doorstep!"
Alduin rolled him eyes. "I doubt every mountain is inhabited by dwarves. Remember, there are only so many dwarves in the world, and most of them live in Erebor now."
"Still..."
"Alduin is right," Akatosh said, and a gasp of outrage echoed from every warrior's mouth. It was Ira's turn to roll her eyes, while Alduin showed no outward reaction. "But how they have no noticed so far is not important. What matters now is that they mustnoticed from here. Destroy Fankil, and we can regain our powers, and, in turns, you will have yours back, as well."
"How should we accomplish this?" Ira questioned. "Paarthurnax and Odahviing are unlikely to get involved with the events of this world, even if it is to help more than just Middle Earth. Two people cannot take on a whole army."
"We are not so weak yet that your case is hopeless," Akatosh informed her. "When the time is right, we should be able to combine what is left of our powers to allow you both one short transformation. You can then take our Fankil and his army."
"And if you cannot do that? If we take too long to get there, and your powers are too few to change us?" Alduin questioned sharply.
"Then you must do what you can. Two people, no matter how extraordinary, cannot defeat an army, it is true. But they can defeat just one man. Make sure it is Fankil." Akatosh' light then faded away, and Ira and Alduin shared one last look before darkness engulfed their dream world.
Ira woke up with a jerk, breathing slightly erratic. Beside her, Alduin did the same. "You know," she said tiredly, "after all this, I think I'm gonna finally give up adventures and saving the world. It's not good for my health."
Before you ask, yes, Fankil is real. I did my research.
Until next time!