Chapter 38: The Corruption of Middle-Earth

Once they landed there, Gothmog was overjoyed as he ran into the fortress.

"It worked," he yelled at Barad-Dur. He knew it couldn't speak but at least it could hear him. "Silvond's with us again." Gothmog held his son close. The Balrog looked at Gothmog and nodded. "I just wish you could change to normal."

Silvond closed his eyes and concentrated hard, hoping he could change back. Gothmog looked at him sadly. He didn't want him to force himself if he couldn't do it. A few minutes later, the Balrog's form began to change slightly. Gothmog noticed and moved forward a bit. Happiness had come to his eyes. He smiled as the transformation continued. The Balrog shrank as Silvond 's features returned to him.

When the transformation finished, Silvond stood there. Gothmog walked over to him, smile on his face. "How do you feel?"

"I...I'm fine," Silvond said. "Well, Middle-Earth is ours now. What shall we do?"

Gothmog hesitated. He'd never given much thought to what he would do afterwards. Except live together with Shadic. Obviously, that was out of the question.

"We'll think of something," he said.

Silvond nodded and smiled. "Perhaps we can enslave some of the people living here."

"Then we wouldn't have to do anything ourselves. Good idea."

"All right. Let's do that. Let us show the people of Middle-Earth who is in charge," Silvond said. "The Dark Lord will rule forever. If anyone dares challenge me, they shall be killed."

"Are you going to do it yourself or send someone else to do it?"

The Dark Lord sneered. "I'll do it myself. Since we are immortal, we can rule the land for all eternity."

"If they're smart, they'll never rise against you."

Silvond nodded. "Come, Gothmog. It is time to start out rule over this land."

Gothmog followed the Dark Lord. He went across Mordor, enslaving people. The Dark Lord sneered as his evil reign was beginning. He went across Mordor, enslaving people. The Dark Lord sneered as his evil reign was beginning. Gothmog watched with pride, helping Silvond any way he could. Once all the people who survived were enslaved, the Dark Lord turned to Gothmog and chuckled evilly, then spoke.

"We've finally done it." He smiled. "I'm in control of Middle-Earth. No one can stand against us, and we can stay in control forever."

Gothmog nodded and smiled. "What shall we do now?"

Silvond was about to answer when he heard the Balrog's voice in his head again. You've conquered Middle-Earth, now come join together with me.

The Dark Lord's eyes widened and he tried to resist. "No," he snarled. "I want to stay here with my family." The Balrog's voice grew to a roar. Gothmog looked at his son in worry. He couldn't lose him again. "What will happen if I fuse with you?" Silvond asked the Balrog telepathically.

We will be complete again.

Silvond thought about it. "I guess it would be nice to be complete again," he said.

Gothmog's eyes widened. "Silvond...no, please! I thought you wanted to rule over Middle-Earth as the dark Lord for all eternity!"

Silvond looked at him. "I'd rather be whole again than two separate bodies," he said.

"But..." The hedgehog sighed. He knew it had been a bad idea for him to turn the Orc into Silvond. "You won't remember anything, will you?"

Silvond shrugged. "I don't know, dad. I...I'm sorry, but I don't see any other alternative. Maybe you can do the same when I fuse."

"The same?" Gothmog was confused as to what exactly Silvond meant.

"Transform into something permanently. Maybe become Mount Doom."

Gothmog sighed. "All right then. At least I won't be alone."

Silvond smiled and nodded. "I'll see you later, dad."

Gothmog smiled back. Silvond sighed and closed his eyes. Soon, they were in the Mines of Moria with the Balrog. It looked at him. Gothmog stayed behind Silvond, letting him handle it. The Balrog moved closer to Silvond.

You are ready to become one? It said.

The Dark Lord nodded. "I am. What will happen once we do?"

That body will cease to live. Our minds will merge and become one again.

Silvond sighed. Was he doing the right thing? He looked back at Gothmog, now having second thoughts. The Dark Lord wasn't sure if he should do this. He looked between the two as he thought of what to do. "Dad...what do you think I should do?" He asked Gothmog.

"I think you shouldn't do this. I don't want to lose you again." Gothmog knew it might sound selfish, but it was the truth.

Silvond sighed and closed his eyes, thinking about it. After a few minutes, he opened them and came to a decision. "I'm going to become one with him," he said. Silvond smiled at Gothmog. "I'll be fine."

Gothmog's eyes widened and he sighed. "Very well," he said.

Silvond smiled and walked up to the Balrog, placing a hand on its body. The Balrog softly growled and looked down at Silvond. It knelt in front of him, waiting for the Dark Lord to become one. A bright glow came from the Balrog, engulfing Silvond with light. When it faded, Silvond was gone. The Balrog stood up and looked around. It saw Gothmog and growled.

Gothmog stared up at it, wondering what the Balrog was thinking. The Balrog growled again and looked around the mine. It looked at the hedgehog, and then turned away, walking deeper in the mines. Gothmog gave him a wave and watched it leave. Once the Balrog was out of view, he transported himself back to Mordor. He looked around at the sights. Barad-Dur was there, but Mount Doom was nowhere in sight. He sighed, thinking about what Silvond had told him. The hedgehog went over to the place where Mount Doom was supposed to be. He closed his eyes and began to transform.

Heat boiled in his body as he concentrated. He felt his feet becoming part of the ground as he stood there. The rock under him shifted in reaction to the energy, coming up onto his legs. The heat intensified as the rock moved. Spreading outward, the rock angled up as it expanded and grew. Gothmog took a deep breath. His body was hardening, becoming rock and making it hard for him to do anything more. Before the day ended, he'd be with Shadic and Silvond. That thought increased his determination, speeding up the process.

The rock continued spreading across the ground, setting the foundation for the volcano. His body grew larger, the ground moving farther away each second. Gothmog closed his eyes and waited. His arms went out to his sides, spreading out. The stone spread, filling in the gaps. Crumbling outer pieces formed the terrain of the mountain, a cave opening in the side. Gothmog gave one last sigh as the stone extended above his head, forming the tip of the mountain. The heat bubbled upward through the mountain before blowing the top of in an explosion of lava.

Gothmog and Shadic had both become part of Mordor permanently; Gothmog was Mount Doom, and Shadic was Barad-Dur. In that sense, they were still together. Silvond had become the Balrog that was living in the Mines of Moria also. Because of the transformations, evil energy was in the land. It moved through, corrupting all of Middle-Earth. In a way, the Dark Lords had done what they set out to do. They had corrupted Middle-Earth and conquered it. Now, they would be able to rule over the land for all eternity, and no one would be able to stop them.