SO WHO IS READY FOR FOR THE FINAL ACT!? I KNOW I AM! XD

All excitement aside (though not entirely,) I now bring to you the first chapter of His Corrupted Soul, the epic conclusion to this Lord of the Rings fan fiction. We have things to do and places to be so Inconnu and the Witch-King shall be quite busy, but there are calm moments even in times of war and we will be taking advantage of that. Thank you all so much for your patience and it shall be well rewarded.

To those who have been following my update postings, that outline is twenty-six pages long. TWENTY-SIX. To put into comparision, His Corrupted Heart's outline was only four pages. I have things planned ladies and gentlemen, and I hope you enjoy them as you also had parts to play in it creation. Things will happen and they will get stuff.

Also, this act is going to have a soundtrack, as requested by a guest. I always listen to music while I write, so it was fun listening to a lot of songs and putting them to chapters. Some will have one, two, or even three depending on shifting moods within each chapter.

Now read on my friends!

Chapter I: Returning to the Darkness

"I wake to a Darkness in which I must follow myself endlessly, hating the I who so eternally pursues and confronts me. If we could rise from our misery, seek each other once more, and find again the solace of each other's lips and eyes." - Malcolm Lowry

|SOUNDTRACK|

Minas Morgul - Return of the King Soundtrack

I'm Sorry - EDOBY

The Fell Beast screeched a foul sound as the sickly green spires of Minas Morgul came into view. It circled the tallest tower before making for the gate, followed by its hatch-mate closely but still maintaining a safe distance. Both creatures were wary of the passenger astride the first, for he held an aura of death seconded by none they have ever been in the presence of.

The Witch-King of Angmar was once again among the magic and darkness of Minas Morgul, his seat of power in the West.

His Fell Beast landed as smoothly as it could for a creature of such gangly and serpentine design, but the Lord of the Nine was not unseated by any means. The second beast landed just behind him, bearing another of his brothers in shadow, and both let out another screech. They shifted only slightly as the Witch-King and the other of the Nazgûl dismounted. The reins of the beasts were taken by orcs, but the Ringwraiths did not give them even a glance as they walked to the gates of the Tower of Sorcery. But then the Witch-King saw a figure standing there and his eyes filled with a cold fire of contempt. He also sensed the same sentiments from his brother in shadow.

There at the gates stood the Mouth of Sauron, the servant who speaks for the Dark Lord outside of his most loyal servants. Them he spoke directly too, and so it was not often when the Witch-King would see the Mouth within his own lands. He mildly wondered why the vermin was here now.

The Mouth of Sauron bore a cracked smile, attempting to convey congeniality but ultimately failing, as the Witch-King came close in proximity. His words also tried the same. "Welcome home, Witch-King of Angmar. Our master is quite pleased with the swiftness of your return."

Both of the Nazgûl brushed past the Mouth without acknowledgement, and nor a word spoken. The Witch-King already knew of Sauron's pleasure at his return to Minas Morgul. He sensed it in the remains of the bond he still shared with the Lord of the Black Lands. The Mouth was left partially gaping, but managed to bring himself back up with what little dignity before he then began to busy himself elsewhere. The Ringwraiths were of the preference that he return to Barad-dûr and stay with their master. They had their duties to fulfill and did not want the Mouth to pester them with wasting words.

The Witch-King entered the city surrounding the glowing spires of Minas Morgul, now filled with orcs from the tribes that had been summoned here not too long ago. More were still to come though, as the battle that was to be had with the Men of the West was to be end of that era. No longer would men proudly walk the earth under the sun, not if Sauron and the darkness that followed him was to have a say. The orcs cleared the way for him, wary of the Lord of Carrion and his companion. They knew better than to hinder the Witch-King, for he was so far above them in power and would not hesitate to strike them down should they not comply.

Through this the travel to the tower itself was quick, and his brother in shadow left him there. He had other things he had to do, and as it was too with the Witch-King as he entered the tower as silent as the grave. The halls looked to be empty, but he knew better as he seemed to glide along his intended path much like a ghost. How all too accurate the comparison was as he observed the surroundings that were familiar but now entirely foreign. Much had changed in the time he had been gone from here, but it was not Minas Morgul that had changed.

It was himself.

The halls were dark and magic almost pulsed in the air around him as he then reached his destination. Large, dark wood doors opened before him, the magic recognizing his presence and eager to serve him again after so long an absence. Before him was a large chamber, a large desk of the same dark wood of the doors right in front of him, upon it many documents he would have to look over. To his right were shelves that reached the ceiling and they bore many books. A few of were even books from his native land of Numenor that he had managed to save before its fall. To his left, a sitting area were one would meet with appointed guests. This he never used, for the Witch-King of Angmar never receives guests.

The memory of this very tower's conquering returned to him in a flash.

The man then slashed at the Nazgûl before him, aiming to take its head, but the Witch-King simply held his sword up and successfully blocked it. The Witch-King held it steady, unwavering as the Lord of Minas Ithil applied more force to try and force the wraith back. That was not to be though, as then the Witch-King, with a flick of his wrist, moved the man's blade aside with ease and in the same movement withdrew a dagger and stabbed it into the heart of the Lord of Minas Ithil.

The man looked down at the blade in his chest, then into the darkness that was perceived in the hood of the Nazgûl in front of him. Blood then trickled from the corners of his mouth before his body slid off the dagger and onto the ground. The Witch-King then released a scream, the screeching sound alerting all within the fortress that Minas Ithil now belonged to the Witch-King, the Black Captain of Sauron.

The heavy doors closed behind him upon his full entry into the chamber, and after a long moment Er-Murazor sighed deeply. His eyes closed in that world of shadow, taking a few more breaths though his chest did not prove that he was indeed breathing. Opening his eyes again, they landed on the sitting area, specifically the stone pedestal that had replaced all other furniture there. It reached up to his chest, and a long black cloth was draped over it, etched with silver thread in the Black Speech of Mordor. It covered a round object that sat upon the pedestal, and looking at it the Witch-King had an idea.

A palantír had many uses after all.

Within a few strides he was standing before the pedestal, and in a single motion removed the cloth to reveal the palantír to him. It was black in color, the inner darkness only disturbed by a swirling storm of blue-grey. It was silent, no one using it and no one truly watching. Sauron was distracted and so Er-Murazor placed his gauntleted hand upon the palantír. It glowed brighter and soon a soft and white-colored inner light began to glow within the orb. Er-Murazor chanted a small spell under his breath a few times, encouraging the palantír to show him what he wished to see.

The light grew brighter, then flared in a fiery display and the Witch-King was forced the remove his hand from the palantír lest he be thrown from its presence. That white light dimmed suddenly and quickly, until the orb returned to a state of calm and rest. Er-Murazor took a moment to regain his composure as he eyed the seeing-stone. Worry burrowed into the back of his mind, seeping into his thoughts. He could not see her.

"Where are you Inconnu?" Er-Murazor muttered to himself, the concern all too plain in those words. The palantír could not find her and so he could not see her. All he could do was hope that she was as safe as he had left her. He knew that she would go after him again, that was truth, and that she would find him. Er-Murazor had faith that she would.

Later

The Witch-king was standing before the palantír again, but this time for a far different reason. His palantír beneath the palm of his hand was wreathed in fire and a single eye was focused on him. Well, himself, the wizard Saruman, and his own second the Easterling.

This was the war council of Mordor, comprised of its most strategic minds and most loyal servants.

Er-Murazor had steeled his mind for this. He had to keep the truth that Inconnu Naeril still lived a secret from all others, especially the truths that he longer longer saw himself a servant of Sauron. He had a part to play and he could only hope that his own defenses were enough to hide those truths from Sauron. Soon enough, all parties were connected through either palantíri or scrying bowls and the council finally began.

'Lat ayh now properpak ukiavuaavun again wiavhin Minauk Morgul, mausan Wiavch-Kaumn ro Angmar?'

You are now properly situated again within Minas Morgul, my Witch-King of Angmar?

Sauron's voice crackled like lightning through him, but Er-Murazor remained steadfast as he replied, "All is as I had left it, and so I still retain my strength."

'Mir. Then kulknej saib now move our planuk parpara shal avhe war againukav gondor, avhe laukav ukavronghold ro avhe men ro avhe weukav.'

Good. Then we can now move our plans forward in the war against Gondor, the last stronghold of the Men of the West.

"What of Rohan and their riders?" The Witch-King questioned, and it was Saruman who replied with, "Theoden is weak, dying, and fully under my control. The Rohirrim will not ride to the aid of Gondor."

'Agh lat beukav mainavain avhaav conavrol Istari. Kulknej neun noav anoavhas failure par your parav.'

And you best maintain that control Istari. We need not another failure on your part.

Er-Murazor could easily feel the insulted emotions of the wizard, but Saruman did not comment on them.

"And what of the fortress of Dol Guldur?" This was directed at his second, and the Easterling did not fare well in concealing his frustrated tones.

"Dol Guldur was lost to the fair-folk. Celeborn of Lórien had come to the aid of Thranduil and we could not hold the fortress."

The Witch-King hissed. "Surely you were not so simply overcome by numbers?"

"No," The Easterling hissed back, "They had strange blades, their make like those used against you when Angmar still stood. There was little we could do against them."

This gave the council pause.

"How would elves know to make Westernesse blades?" Saruman pondered. "Those were only made during the final years of Arnor and surely the knowledge on how to make them was lost."

Suddenly, Er-Murazor remembered something Inconnu had told him, how she had seen the forging of Ghosts Song. She had said that she had seen a white-haired elf with the men of the north, and that he was a key factor of the strength of the swords and daggers of Westernesse make.

'Perhaps that elf still lives, and now aids his kin.'

It was a reasonable assumption, and valid to a point, but he did not make those thoughts known to the others. From there they finished out the topic of what were various pieces on the board stood currently, and then moved on to discussion of future strategies to employ to assure their victory. The Witch-King was to lead the battle on Minas Tirith, several thousand orcs, siege engines, and the forces from the East that he himself had gathered before he had been summoned back to chase after the One Ring. Additionally, the Corsairs of Umbar would arrive at the predicted date for the battle.

'Once avhe men ro avhe weukav ayh avhrough agh done wiavh, avhen kulknej liwo avake kurrauz dol guldur agh nauk-claim iav auk our ukavronghold avo avhe noravh. Ul elveuk liwo be dealav wiavh.'

Once the Men of the West are through and done with, then we will take back Dol Guldur and reclaim it as our stronghold to the north. The elves will be dealt with.

The Witch-King had few doubts about that, as the old fortress still remained their only viable option as a place to host a war from in that part of the world. Long ago they lost the chance to claim the lonely mountain as another stronghold, and the dragon along with it. Currently however, the Men of the West were the greatest concern to Sauron and so they were to be dealt with first. The Dark Lord's next words though struck sparks between the Witch-King and Saruman.

'Ul wizard known avo avhe elveuk auk Miavhrandir iuk youruk avo deal wiavh auk lat ukee fiav, mausan Wiavch-Kaumn ro Angmar.'

The wizard known to the elves as Mithrandir is yours to deal with as you see fit, my Witch-King of Angmar.

"What?!" Saruman cried out in disbelief, "Gandalf died at the hands of the Balrog! I saw him fall!"

'Yeav najor hauk nauk-avurned, agh najor hauk come kurrauz wiavh greaavas ukavrengavh.'

Yet he has returned, and he has come back with greater strength.

The Eye's focus was now on Er-Murazor.

'Najor iuk youruk avo deukavroausan.'

He is yours to destroy.

The Witch-King nodded. "I am more than powerful enough to deal with the wizard."

'Yeuk lat ayh, mausan Zi Capavain.' The voice of Sauron crooned to the Witch-King.

Yes you are, my Black Captain.

Saruman nearly stuttered and disputed, "I can certainly deal with-"

'Lat liwo do noavhing! lat gelnaj noav mabaj naj-ri shal your graukp agh lat ceravainpak did noav handle wiavh ukiavuaavion wiavh avhe Hunavreukuk ro avhe Noravh!'

You will do nothing! You could not hold him in your grasp and you certainly did not handle with situation with the Huntress of the North!

This silenced Saruman, pure anger radiating from the Witch-King's own palantír and he was sure Saruman felt the same thing from his. He kept his mind shielded even as happiness at the reference to his heart filled him. The topic eventually resumed to more of the endgame strategies, and soon the council ended entirely. Er-Murazor lifted his gauntleted hands from the palantír, letting fall back into its state of rest, and then covered it with the black cloth. He sighed in relief. There was little doubt now that he could hide the truth of himself from Sauron as well. All he had to do was maintain it until the time came in which he would no longer have to hide.

But now, for all intents as purposes, the Hosts of Mordor and Minas Morgul were ready for war.

So this is what the Witch-King's up to for the next little while. Next, we shall see what Inconnu is up to and where the True Hunters Path will leave her at its end!

Now I am going to pseudo-reply to some guest chapters (shhh...)

First off, thank you for all your congratulations on my being published, they mean the world to me coming from all of you. The story is titled Promised to an Ankou and you can purchase it from Amazon. If you guys think my fan fiction is amazing, check out what I can do with original work ;) I also now have a facebook page (under smengland), a website (find the spaced out link on my profile page here), and a tumblr (s. m. england). There's not much on there right now, but more will be added as time goes on and all of you will be a definite help with that.

Also, apparently one is not a real writer until they are published (best comment from a guest and I absolutely went LMAO on it) and no none of you are disturbing me by asking questions and wanting to speak with me. Though that is hard when you are a guest and I am unabe to reply through FF.N to you. Hopefully with some social media set up and an official website I'll be able chat with you all more easily.

And yes I did get hopes up for a new chapter and it ends up only being an update, am I right? XD Sorry about that, I don't mean to cruel unintenionally. I have cliffhangers for that ;) I'll try to update the story on a more frequent basis, but I can't keep promises because I am also working on a fantasy series now that is actually the story that got me to want to be a good writer. And so I got into fan fiction and we see where that got me XD

So, remember to drop a review in the donaton box, check out my published work, and also remember that I don't own LOTR just my original stuff in it.

Until next chapter!