XXV
Largg
Largg and Burk rode swiftly for many days, urged on by Tesatak, the orc who had summoned them. He was a strange character, often unpredictable, and quick to anger. He insisted that they ride from dawn to dusk, as the War was already beginning.
"We haven't time," he said urgently, for about the tenth time. "These winter days are short! We must ride on!"
"It's spring now," Burk reminded him. "The days are longer."
"What do I care about the length of the days?" Tesatak cried. "Hurry, let's get a move on!"
They were in the foggy plains on the western end of Dorezátz, of which Largg didn't know (nor care to know) the name. One hasty day they had already travelled through this desolate, empty region. Now, it was dawn again, or would be if they could see the sun through the mist. Tesatak, with his usual urgency, was trying to get them moving.
Largg was cold and wet, and his friend Burk seemed unhappy. Largg guessed the reason was that their new guide refused to let them breakfast until they rode for several hours. One thing Largg had learned about Burk, during the month they had become friends, was that he needed to be fed, or he got exceptionally cranky. Their guide seemed similar in a way, but he seemed to run off action instead of food.
In a brief pause in all the ruckus and hustling of their company, Largg heard, quietly, but clearly and distinctly, the beat of a warg's paws upon the road.
"Hey," he cried. "Someone's comin'!"
Presently they perceived a dark shadow moving swiftly through the mists, riding toward them from Gorgoroth. Tesatak hailed the rider.
"Oy! What tidings from the West?"
The warg-rider stopped, and they could see that he was arrayed in full body armour, with a long, sharp-tipped spear. He briefly surveyed Largg and the others before answering, speaking quickly, as though in great haste.
"War's almost begun," he said. "Barad-dûr's getting very tense, you can almost feel it. Sauron is sure the Ring has made it to Gondor. Now it's up to us to strike first. Swift but deadly will be the Sword of Sauron when it comes. Stab hard enough, He figures, and you needn't stab a second time."
"Then we must hurry! Has Sauron began mobilising His troops?"
"Yes, but so far only within Mordor. I'm off to summon some more soldiers from Creantkor. Orcs, Men, trolls, all alike, they are all headed off to war. Sauron already has summoned the fierce but valiant Men of the East, and from Harad many great hosts march, though I hear they are being ambushed by the Captain Faramir. Still, Sauron is, and has been for a long while, amassing a large force."
"We must join it!" Tesatak cried. "Here we are, three capable soldiers of Mordor, stuck in this rotten fog. Well, sir, thank you for your report." Tesatak saluted the stranger, and he returned the gesture, then rode quickly off.
"You should take his example," Tesatak yelled toward Burk, who had stolen some meat from the packs. "He rides as though all of Gondor is pursuing him. Give that meat back to me! Now come, we ride on. Time for eating will come later!"
Reluctantly Burk stowed the jerky in his pocket and hopped on his warg. Largg and Tesatak did likewise, and they rode on for a long while through the unchanging landscape. Fog surrounded them, so thick that the eye could see naught but white even a few yards ahead. Largg soon lost sight of his companions, and only by his ears could he tell they were still ahead of him.
"We'll stop here," Tesatak said at last, by mid-morning. "We need to wait for this accursed fog to lift. I have several fellows I'm supposed to recruit round here, and they live in an army outpost nearby. But in this fog I can't find it! Curse the delay!"
Despite their leader's frantic paranoia, Largg actually enjoyed a good rest. It took an hour for the fog to clear. By around noon, they could see the wide empty lands stretching several leagues in each direction. The fog was still present, though less potent.
Tesatak looked around, then groaned. Largg followed his gaze. He was staring at a distant black shadow several leagues to the east, behind them on the road.
"What's the matter?" Largg asked.
"Quick!" Tesatak cried. "Back on your wargs! We overshot it in the stupid fog!"
Largg obediently hopped back on his warg, but Burk took more persuasion. Eventually he succumbed to Tesatak's hollering and they started off. In less than half an hour, they reached the shadow, which turned out to be a cluster of tents, set just far enough from the road that it had been invisible in the morning's fog.
Tesatak rode hurriedly up to the nearest of the tents. An elderly old orc came out to greet him. "Good afternoon," she said.
"Is Vógzel here," her demanded. The old woman seemed a little taken aback at the sharpness of the question, but composed herself.
She shook her head. "'Fraid not, sir. Check another tent."
He rode off before she had even finished speaking, and yelled into the second tent.
"Oi! Do you know aught of the soldier Vógzel?"
"That'd be I," the orc replied, emerging from his tent.
Tesatak looked highly relieved. "Good! Ive been told to summon you. Sauron is gathering all His army. You are needed!"
"I'll head off ta Barad-dûr ta-marra, then," Vógzel replied carelessly.
"No you won't!" Tesatak cried in alarm. "You'll leave right now – double quick. Fly to Sauron as though Captain Faramir himself is chasing you!"
Largg felt bad for Vógzel as he rushed inside to gather his possessions. Tesatak waited impatiently outside, rhythmically tapping his fingers on the hilt of his sword.
Eventually Vógzel emerged, carrying a heavy pack and a stave. "Where's your warg!" Tesatak demanded. "How do you expect to run there!"
"I weren't planning on running," Vógzel explained. "I was gonna walk."
"No!" he cried in despair. "That won't do!"
"You can use my warg, ya know, if Burk don't care ta have two orcs on 'is. Do ya, Burk?"
"No. Go ahead."
Largg hopped off his warg and onto the back of Burk's. Vógzel took the now free warg that Largg had previously been riding. Burk's warg did not seem pleased with these arrangements, and growled softly.
"I hope 'e can hold my weight," Largg said in concern.
"She'll be fine," he said. "Won't ya?" he added to the warg. She growled again.
Urged on by Tesatak, they rode off instantly, hurrying away through the empty land. Ahead they could see, like a great darkness, the cliffs. Eventually they rode into their shadow, and it grew very chill and cold. Largg shivered as the wind generated by the warg's movement blew by.
They did not speak at all, but just rode on. The fog encircled them again, thicker (if possible) than before. Largg was frozen through, and each part of his body seemed numb. Long into the night they rode, not halting until long after Largg was weary.
The next day dawned, and the fog was not as thick as before. Largg found that they had travelled further than he had reckoned last night. They were only a mile or two from the base of the cliffs.
Tesatak, as usual, insisted that they ride almost an hour before stopping. They made it a good distance up the cliffs, then went on. Largg recognised this land – they were nearing the place where he had fallen. Burk seemed to also notice, and seemed uncomfortable at the memory of it.
They paused outside the trolls gave, for which Largg was glad, as he wanted to visit them. However, to his surprise, Tesatak also seemed anxious to see them. He hopped off his black warg and practically ran into the cave. Largg approached in a more traditional fashion. As he walked up he could hear Mark's voice greeting them.
"'Ey! 'Oo's this 'ere?"
"Largg entered the cave, blinking in the sudden dark. "Look!" Bob cried. "It's Largg!"
"Hi, guys!" Largg cried. Tesatak ignored everyone and began speaking to Mark, the nearest troll.
"Mark and Robert, citizens of Mordor, you are hereby summoned by the Great Eye to do service in Sauron's name, namely, fight in His War. You shall travel as soon as you can to Barad-dûr, to receive instruction. I mean, as soon as you can, that being tonight. Understand that your services are of great use to the Eye, and be proud!"
"We're fightin'? Mark asked, incredulous. Largg was shocked.
"You can't do this!" he yelled.
"Sauron does it, not I. I am merely His humble messenger. Now, let's go. With haste! Come on!" he hastened out of the cave, but Largg remained.
"I'm so sorry!" he said quietly to the trolls. "I know ya don't like killing orcs, not even as food. War is the last thing I'd ask ya ta do!"
Mark nodded. He looked tortured, and slowly lifted his head toward Largg. "I'm gonna write a poem 'bout it," he replied softly. "Ta teach the world. Ta spread hope. Our las' act o' good before we go an' spread violence…" He started humming, then softly singing, "We all just wanna be good."
Tesatak entered, glaring furiously at Largg. "Come ON!"
I'm staying here," Largg answered with spontaneous resolution. He really didn't want to leave the trolls. Who knew when he would see them again. They might not survive the war…
"Your coming out right now, and riding off," Tesatak told him. Largg considered this for a moment.
"I was never summoned," he replied. "Ya summoned Burk." Largg though he had scored a strong point. Tesatak seemed frazzled.
"But you don't have a warg!"
"I'll walk with Mark an' Bob!" Largg cried in delight. The plan made perfect sense. It would free up Burk's warg, and Tesatak would be able to travel faster, like he always seemed to want. And he could always meet back up with Burk in Garkhôn.
"I'm summoning you now, by executive rights of Sauron. You are to travel to your town with your comrade Burk and report to the barracks. Now get!"
He forcefully dragged Largg from the cave as the trolls watched in shock. Largg struggled in vain, but the messenger was far stronger than he.
"On your warg!" Tesatak demanded. "Now, GO!"
Largg waved one last time to the trolls, imprisoned by the sun in their cave, and reluctantly hopped behind Burk on his warg. He did not have the will or energy to fight the frantic Tesatak. Morosely the trolls watched him, tears welling up in Mark's eyes.
Then Tesatak shot off, and they were gone.
"Is he always so hasty, d'ya know?" Vógzel asked Largg.
"I guess," Largg answered. "To me, e's about as nice as a wild bear."
Burk laughed grimly, then slapped the warg on her side, and she hurried to catch up with Tesatak, who was already far ahead.
By the end of that day, they reached the top of the cliffs. Largg looked across the vast, barren plain of Gorgoroth. All about, like tiny pieces on an enormous chessboard, orcs were moving to and fro. Some were solitary, crossing the rough terrain where no roads lay, but on the roads many armies marched. Tesatak stared across the hustling province.
"So the War is beginning," he said softly. "These are but the first tremors before the earth-shattering quake. But haste is needed. That is our only hope. To strike before Gondor can use the Ring against us! Let's ride on!"
And they did, far into the night. It seemed that now Mordor would not sleep. A long while they rode, until, at last, Tesatak's warg collapsed with weariness, and he was forced to relent.
The next morning there was a red glow over Mordor. The sun was swollen and deep red in hue, and Largg looked across Gorgoroth uneasily. Over Barad-dûr and Orodruin a great cloud of smoke hung, and already the wind was blowing it westward.
"What is that?" Largg asked.
"The art of Sauron, a veil to block the sun. Night falls, and dawn may not come again, for a long time. On your warg – now more than ever, we must not dawdle!"
They rode again for a great many leagues. As the day progressed, the cloud swelled ominously. It was like that of a great storm, as though Nature herself had risen in wrath and was threatening to engulf them.
That evening they reached the turnoff point for Burk and Largg, who were to return to their companies in Garkhôn, and march from there to Barad-dûr. "Go," Tesatak cried, as a farewell. "Make haste!"
Then he and Vógzel sped off toward Barad-dûr.
Burk shrugged, then turned the warg toward Garkhôn. They rested that night on the road, and arrived the next day at their hometown. Largg looked over his shoulder, but the cloud lay over Ithilien, and was hardly perceptible from here. He felt far more relaxed, either because the gloom no longer oppressed him, or because Tesatak had left.
That morning Burk dropped Largg off at Ulûrk's, to deliver the letter. "And I'll return this warg to Gortog," he said before riding off. "We'll see each other again at the barracks."
"'Kay," Largg replied, waving one last time as his friend hopped on the warg and started off. He turned to the house he had been dropped by, strode forward, and knocked on the door.
A strong-looking, grim-faced orc opened the door. "Who is it?" he asked.
"Are you Ulûrk?" Largg asked hesitantly. He seemed so different from Sheglock, in both his appearance and his speech. Largg hoped he had gotten the right address.
"Yes," the orc replied, as though annoyed by his visit. Largg was puzzled, and hesitated a while, not sure whether he should take Ulûrk's rudeness personally.
"Uh – I'm Largg," he explained, getting no recognition.
"Yeah," Ulûrk said irritably. "What d'ya want?"
Largg felt very put out. Was this the thanks he would get for delivering the letter?
"I was just, er, supposed ta give ya this letter." Largg stuttered, backing away slightly and holding it out. "It's, er, from Morrick."
"Oh!" Ulûrk cried, sounding genuinely embarrassed. "Sorry fer my rudeness. I jus' didn't recognise ya, an' ya woke me. Sorry."
Largg was pleased by the apology. At least it hadn't been personal. Largg could understand tiredness – as he was exhausted himself.
"Well, have a good day, then," he said cheerfully, turning to go. He felt as though he might have found another friend.
"Same ta ya," Ulûrk replied, his tone light. Largg nodded at him, but he had already closed the door.
Without further ado, Largg started walking down the road to the barracks.