Chapter 2

"Rathen sorta musa nyea." Thunk. "Maris goona reqviem." Thunk. "Rathen sorta musa nyea." Thunk. "Maris goona reqviem." Thunk.

Uthalîa landed his Lethrblaka on the launch pad, dismounted and stretched. He was rewarded with an audible crack.

"Ah. That feels good. Riding the Lethrblaka always gives me cricks. Are you coming, Kutir?"

Kutir jumped off the beast and landed on his hind legs. "That flight took forever. Can't you go faster, Uthalîa?" The Ra'zac bristled at the comment.

"If you do not appreciate the flying, you can walk for all I care."

Kutir turned his back on Uthalîa. "Walk with me, Ra'zac." Uthalîa muttered something under his breath but strode after the fox. "Isn't it amazing, Ra'zac? These soldiers work at my command. They die and fight when I tell them to. Heck, they even chant when I tell them to. Hear them? 'Rathen sorta musa nyea.'"

Uthalîa shrugged. "I've seen better. King Raytheon of Harla has total respect from his army." Kutir turned to the Ra'zac.

"Well, Ra'zac, Raytheon is a freak. Enough of that, though. Come with me to the command room."

They walked through the sweltering heat of the volcano. All around them the sound of hammers striking metal sounded. As they walked, Kutir motioned to a few soldiers to follow him. Kineta, Lestha, Archil, Norhas, and Sikl left their stations and followed their leader to the center of operations- the command room. The five officers took their seats as Uthalîa went to his customary dark corner. Kutir began to pace in front of the room, his paws creating a steady tap-tap on the killiron floor.

"I have returned from Segura's lair in the Northern Evellands. She has seen the future. But, I must find a certain person and destroy him if I have any hope of conquering Middle-Earth. She said 'The land you fight is ready. Your attack is expected. Though this land cannot hope to vin, they will try. Beware the little folk, for one of their number will challenge you to a fight to the death. And vhile both survive, there can be no peace.' I must find this little person and kill him. I need a volunteer." Kutir looked pointedly at Uthalîa.

The Ra'zac moved out of the shadows. "I will find this person for you, King Kutir, and bring you his head."

Kutir nodded. "Good, good. You may leave after the meeting. Next, how the building of the trebuchet parts is coming along. Kineta, you were building the throwing arm and the power bucket. How is that going?"

Kineta replied, "We are finished, High King."

"Good. Lestha, your team was building the frame of the trebuchet. Are you finished?" Lestha nodded. "Archil, is the rock-device ready?" He nodded. "Norhas, have you found enough rocks?"

"Yes, milord."

"Wonderful. Sikl, are the gliders ready?"

The silent officer nodded, and said, "We have created around two thousand gliders. Five hundred more are on their way."

Kutir was amazed. "That exceeds expectations, Sikl. Great work. Now, all of you meet and put the trebuchet together. Uthalîa, find that person!" All six bowed and exited the room. Kutir laughed evilly. "It is all coming together."

**************************************

Uthalîa climbed onto his mount, clicked the reins and held on as the Lethrblaka jumped into the sky. The awntri breeze propelled him across the Sumasi Ocean. Millions of thoughts were running through his head. Why was Kutir so bent on the domination of Middle-Earth? What would he gain from it? Then, it clicked. Kutir wanted the mithril deposits that supposedly lay beneath the Misty Mountains. With all that metal, he could give each warrior in his army a full-body suit of mithril. Uthalîa spurred his steed faster, hoping that he would be able to tell Aragorn before it was too late.

**************************************

Archil finished tightening the last screw on the trebuchet's arm. He stepped back and admired the wooden monstrosity. Seventy decifeet high, forty wide and eighty long, the trebuchet was as large as the largest trading boat. Next to the siege engine, two thousand five hundred gliders were being prepped with weapons and food by support crews. Farther off, twenty-five thousand troops were getting into position. Archil smiled. As the commanding officer when Kutir and Uthalîa were not there, he was to be the one to give a speech. He didn't trust the Ra'zac, even though Kutir did. 'And that will be his downfall,' Archil thought.

He climbed up onto the podium. All the troops turned to look at him.

"Today, we celebrate a momentous occasion in Cindalha history," Archil boomed. "Today, we carry on the work of the Cindar that was here when the Remords settled this land. That Cindar was engaged in a dreadful war with Isildor, son of Nurenor, King of Numenor. With the arrival of the beastly Remords, Cindar was forced to retreat back into Cindal Dûm, to protect his land from assault. The people of Middle-Earth no doubt think that we have given up on invading their land, but they are wrong. Today begins the occupation of the Grey Havens. From there, we will take all of the cursed land that was a thorn in our side for so long. Today, we will begin!" At this, every soldier shouted. "Now, troops of High King Kutir, begin grouping in the gliders."

******************************************

Kutir sat in the command chamber, thinking over the invasion tactics. They were all sound, but something didn't quite fit. He looked over the plans one last time, set them down and strode out the door to join his troops.

******************************************

Hours later, Uthalîa arrived at the ruins of the great city Khazid-Tharmel. Down below, he saw someone that appeared to be Aragorn. He seemed to be engrossed in a story that Arwen was telling.

'Well, they will just have to wait for the rest of the story,' he thought.

*******************************************

"......the Magna Crepusculum, the Great Twilight." Arwen said. At that moment, Uthalîa dropped out of the sky.

"Sorry about interrupting the story," the Ra'zac apologized, "but I must speak with Aragorn." Aragorn stood.

"Here I am."

"Aragorn, Kutir has started his attack. Any minute now, gliders carrying ten troops each will be flying into the Grey Havens. That is where the attack will be directed from. Aragorn, you must gather an army to fend this attack off!"