Hey, a few quick notes as some people can't seem to rap their minds around the power differences between Aegon and Lilith. Lilith herself has a lot of raw power, and enhanced that power through dark rituals and the like, Aegon has a lot more skill, and focus through years of training. One is like an explosion, while the other is like a cannon shot. Both powerful in their own way, but now the same way. Aegon's power comes from his cleverness and intellect in knowing where to apply his sizable power, while Lilith is more keen to simply throwing her weight around when she feels like it. While she is also clever and quite intelligence, necessity hasn't led her to relying on those things, like Aegon has. I guess the better way of putting it, is that Aegon keeps his power in check and uses in precisely when he means to, where as Lilith expresses her power, showing it off as it defines her.
Also of note, some people have noted the story is more closely following Aegon, which is a fair notion at the moment, though I want you all to know that I plan to follow more with Lilith starting in the next chapter, I've been working towards this one for a while as sort of Aegon's primary POV for this first part of the story, and now that it's here I can start following things from Lilith's perspective, so I hope you all have a bit of patience in that regard.
Now starting from here, I'm gonna start answering your comments from last chapter at the end of the current chapter, so if you wish to see my reply, to your comment, it's at the end. Also I'll be answering these comments as soon as I finish writing the chapter, so hopefully everyone who wanted to leave a review, has already left one. It's at the end so you guys don't have to scroll past it, and I don't feel bad about going in depth with answering them. Anyway let me know what you think, this chapter was a pain in the ass to get through and it's a honker. 20,000 words ahead, enjoy!
Darkness Reborn
Chapter 16: What's mine is mine.
-Middle Earth-
The Avatar of the Dark Lord drifted down from the sky, landing in a clearing where the ghostly images of the four wraiths were gathered after having fled from Galadriel's attack.
"Dol Guldur is lost to us for the moment. Go forth and join with Azog and his forces, we move to take Erebor. Do not fail me." He commanded, earning bows of subservience from the Nazgûl as they vanished into the forest around them.
The Dark Lord's Avatar remained behind for several moments before returning to the sky and racing off towards the Lonely Mountain.
As it crossed the land and made it's way towards the distant dwarven kingdom, back in Westoros, Aegon took the opportunity to retreat to his personal chambers, his focus still primarily on his Avatar.
Lilith went with him, making sure he wasn't disturbed as he prepared for the eventual meeting with Smaug.
As his Avatar raced across the skies, the Dark lord began to sense the outpouring of dark and twisted magics. The terrifying power of a dragon was being unleashed, and in the dark of night, it soon became apparent just what was happening.
Long before his Avatar caught sight of the dragon in the skies, or the devastation of Lake Town, he could see the red glow of flames beyond the horizon. Aegon's Avatar arrived in the hills overlooking the floating town to find Smaug, the last of the ancient Great Dragons in Middle Earth, laying waste to the entire city.
Back and forth the dragon flew, spewing forth pillars of dragon flame that cut hellish swaths through the town.
For a moment, Sauron wondered what had drawn Smaug out of his slumber? What had awakened and infuriated the dragon enough to warrant this attack? The Dark Lord had only one guess, and that was Thorin Oakenshield and his company of dwarves. They must have breached the mountain and infuriated the dragon.
Lake Town sat in the shadow of the Lonely Mountain, and the ruined city of Dale sat between the mountain and the burning town. A quick glance towards the entrance of Erebor, revealed that the gates had been torn open by Smaug's exit. The Dragon was obviously infuriated, this was no mere passing fancy, he was out for revenge.
A curious sight caught the Dark Lord's attention as he returned his gaze to the dragon. An arrow soared up from a bell tower and glanced off of the Dragon's armored hide.
Each shot struck true, the archer's aim was impeccable, but arrows shot from a simple wooden longbow would never pierce the hide of a dragon that large. The Great dragons had always had a weakness where their chests and undersides were lightly armored, and thus vulnerable to attack. This weakness had been removed when Lilith had bred her newer Great Dragons. Smaug though still had this weakness as he was descended from the original Great Dragons. His size though, rendered this weakness as a non issue.
The dragon had grown so large, that despite the scales on his chest and stomach being thinner than the rest, they were still thick enough to repel an arrow from a longbow.
Only an enchanted arrow, or bow, could pierced those scales now. That or something with a lot more power behind it.
Smaug must have been growing tired of the arrows glancing off of him, so he flew by the tower and clipped it, ripping off the top of the tower, and landing within the city.
Smaug chose to address the one who had challenged him, and began to speak to the man on the tower, who was now joined by a boy, who looked to be his son.
The boy gave something to the archer. Even from a distance, Sauron noticed the dwarven craftsmanship. The boy had come bearing a Black Arrow. A two meter long metal bolt, meant to be fired from a dwarven made ballista. A weapon known as a Wind Lance. Such weapons had long been used by the dwarves during their wars against dragons. They were effective weapons, and their Black Arrows had pierced many a dragon's hide. Such a weapon may even do damage to Smaug, though Sauron did not see a Wind Lance with which to fire the deadly bolt.
Smaug began to taunt the man and his son as he stalked towards the tower, crushing homes and other buildings under his massive bulk.
It was as the dragon stalked forward that Sauron caught sight of a black patch on his side. A missing set of scales that left a clear opening through the dragon's armor. At some point or another, the dragon had lost some of it's scales, and it was clear that this spot was the bowman's intended target.
Using the broken parts of the tower and string of his long bow, which had snapped in half when Smaug smashed the tower, the bowman was able to quickly construct a make shift launcher.
He then had his son act as a stand so that the bowman could line up his shot.
Smaug could have easily avoided this setup by simply moving out of the firing line, the nature of the bowman's contraption meant that there was little room for correction, but the dragon was overconfident.
Sauron let out an internal curse, and flew down into the town, he knew he'd have to intercede as the chances for the bowman to hit his mark were far too great for the Dark Lord to simply leave it up to chance.
Smaug advanced with a roar and began to take flight. Right then the bowman let the Black Arrow fly. It soared through the air, it's design causing it to spiral like a drill as it shot right towards the opening in Smaug's armor.
Landing atop a building, the Dark Lord reached out with his magic and slowed the arrow down. It lost a great deal of it's speed but still struck true, slamming hard into the dragon's flesh, and earning a howl of pain from the mighty beast. Smaug was thrown off balance by the sudden pain and his massive body clipped the tower once more, this time knocking it over.
Smaug crashed hard through several buildings as he attempted to correct himself and return to the skies.
He was quickly able to manage it and rose up into the orange glow of the night sky. He flew higher and higher until eventually he reached the clouds. The dragon let out another roar of pain as he soared through the air.
Sauron was quickly with him, appearing as nothing more than a blackened shade, the Dark Lord appeared before the dragon as it flew.
"You owe me your life, foolish beast! Had I not interceded that bolt would be buried in your heart!" Sauron hissed at the beast, the dragon's eyes widening as he realized who it was floating before it.
"You!" Smaug began.
"I will rescind the debt of your life in exchange for your cooperation. You wish for these people to suffer? Than do as I say and I promise you, they will know a torment beyond your wildest dreams." Sauron offered to the dragon.
For a moment Smaug was silent as he continued to fly higher. After several moments, he let out a growl of anger.
"What do you wish of me?" The Dragon asked.
"Play dead. Let them think that the arrow struck true. Let the world herald the death of the mighty Smaug! Let our enemies come to claim the mountain! Let them gather together, so that we can destroy them all!" Sauron commanded.
For only a moment, Smaug thought on the idea. His pride was important to him, and a great part of him wanted to swoop back out of the clouds and burn the rest of Lake Town until there was nothing but ashes. But another part of him, found the revenge he could gain from such a plot to be far more enticing. To see all of his enemies, gathered together, for him to destroy, now that would be a prize worth the momentary wound to his pride.
"Very well. We'll do things your way. As repayment for your assistance." The mighty dragon replied.
Sauron reached out with his magic, seizing hold of the bolt sticking out of the dragon's chest. With a mighty pull the bolt was ripped free and Smaug let out a roar of pain.
The Dark Lord smirked as he took in the dragon's pain. This was repayment for ignoring all of his attempts at a civil negotiation. Smaug wanted to play hardball with the Dark Lord, than he would learn what that meant. For now, he would allow the dragon's disrespect, getting him to cooperate was more important, but he would be sure to humble the beast later.
"Meet me on the shores around the bend. Make it convincing and then slip away out of sight." Sauron commanded before rapidly descending from the clouds.
Not long after his descent, Sauron got to watch as Smaug fall from the clouds, breathing flames, and making a great showing of having trouble flying. He continued his charade for several long moments as he lowered himself and twisted through the air, drifting over a nearby cliff and eventually out of sight of the people of Laketown and anyone nearby.
For added effect, Sauron could hear the dragon hit hard on the opposite side of the cliff, out of sight, and out of mind. The dragon made a showing of landing out of sight, but also landing in water, so that it would be difficult to locate his body.
On the opposite side of the nearby cliff, was part of a river than fed into the lake, so if anyone went looking for the dragon around where it fell, they would find the river and it would take time for anyone to get the courage to go diving for his body.
Despite being a beast, the Great Dragons were clever creatures.
Sauron quickly moved to join with his new ally. They had things to talk about.
The Dark Lord found the mighty dragon, mostly submerged in the river. The water around his body boiled as he used it to sooth the pain of his injury.
It was actually a pretty amusing sight, all things considered, with most of Smaug's body submerged in the river, and only the upper part of his head, his tail, and the ends of his wings sticking up out of the water.
"Your timing it impeccable." The Dragon noted after a few moments of silence.
Sauron stared back for several long seconds before adjusting his form, and taking on the ghostly appearance of Viserys Targaryen.
"And you, are a hard dragon to reach." Sauron began, advancing towards the edge of the river.
Smaug regarded his form curiously, noting that while his form was very weak, the Dark Lord's power was as intense as the stories said it was.
"You wished to speak with me?" Smaug inquired, lifting his head partly out of the water.
"I wished to form an alliance. At least, that's what our enemies believe." Sauron replied, as violet eyes of Viserys' form began to glow with intensity.
"And the true reason for your desired meeting?" Smaug asked, as he locked eyes with the Dark Lord.
"She calls to thee… Great Dragon. The last of her greatest weapons. Our time… has come again!" Sauron intoned, his words earning a gasp from Smaug.
"You speak the truth?" The dragon demanded, as it rose further out of the waters.
"Yes. The darkness has returned. It remains in hiding at the moment, away from the sight of our enemy. But it has indeed returned. Our beloved master, is calling her servants to her. You are the last of a dying breed, one she would see returned to prominence. She cannot interact with this world, lest our enemies know of her return before we are ready, so I act in her stead. But I offer you this gift, look into me, into my heart, and see the truth." Sauron responded, opening his Avatar's mind to the dragon and allowing a momentary link to form between them.
Smaug saw into the vessel, and realized that what stood before him was not the Dark Lord, it was in fact little more than a puppet, but that puppet had strings that tied back to the real Dark Lord.
Smaug allowed his mind to follow those strings, and when he did, he came upon a glorious sight.
There stood the full might of Sauron, and by his side, the mighty creator herself. Morgoth.
"Hello, you wonderful beast." Lilith whispered into Sauron's mind, allowing Smaug to know that she knew he was in there.
The mighty dragon stared in awe at the one who had created it's ancestors. The mighty Morgoth in all her glory. Even from such a vast distance, Smaug could feel the overwhelming weight of her power.
Her power was far greater than any stories could have hoped to depict, and it seems that whispers of Sauron's reduction to little more than a spirit, had been greatly exaggerated.
"Mighty Smaug. The Darkness commands thee. Will you serve?" Sauron demanded, as he pulled the dragon from his mind, leaving only the parting image of a smirking Lilith burned into the dragon's head.
For several moments, the dragon sat in silence. Finally he rose up high out of the water, with a great deal of effort the dragon submitted, bowing before Sauron, and the true Master of Darkness who he now knew was watching.
"What is your desire, my lord?" Smaug inquired.
"I will call upon a dense fog and thick clouds to hide you. Travel north and join with with my forces at Gundabad. The orc chieftain Bolg leads an army from there. Join with them and have your armor repaired. Then come south and sweep away all of our foes. With your perceived death, dwarves and men will rush to claim the mountain. We will destroy them all. When our vengeance is had, we will return to her side." Sauron commanded to the dragon, earning a dark chuckle as Smaug imagined the devastation.
"Than let it be done. Let the people sing their songs of the death of the mighty dragon. Let them cheer and celebrate, and when their hopes are at their highest, I will smash them!" Smaug responded.
For the next hour, Sauron gathered a storm around the river and around Laketown. Thick fog and heavy rain began to gather, and once visibility had dropped to it's lowest point, Smaug rose from the waters and took flight into the sky. The dragon headed north, as he was commanded, and Sauron retreated from the area, finding a quiet place out of sight, where he could spend what time he could, repairing the strain done to his Avatar, and shoring it up.
As he focused on that, he allowed his mental focus on Middle Earth to pull back. For now, he could allow things to play out as they would, soon though he would oversee the taking of the Mountain.
-Casterly Rock, The Westerlands-
Aegon explained all that had happened to Lilith as he returned his focus to his real body.
"Your Avatar is rather frail." Lilith mused.
"We knew that though. It was never meant to withstand the kind of power that I passed into it. The body of Viserys has dragon blood and because of that, it is far more durable than a human body, but beyond that, he was weak." Aegon replied.
"What are you planning to do?" Lilith inquired.
"I'm going to head to Erebor myself, and oversee this battle. I like our odds, but if for some reason our enemies can rally and somehow pull off a victory, I will ensure we walk away with a sizable bounty. More than anything else though, I intend to deny them the Arkenstone. The Heart of the Mountain. A rallying cry for the dwarves. If it's brought into our possession than no dwarven king will be able to command the full might of the dwarven people. Without the Arkenstone in their possession, there will always be those who will think the king weak or unfit. It's paramount that the stone be captured, even if all else fails, so I will see to it personally, and take it somewhere where it cannot be recovered." Aegon explained.
"Why not have your Avatar do it?" Lilith asked.
"It's weak, but it's also difficult to control the power that passes through it. I don't trust that our enemies will not show up to the Mountain in force, and I not wish for them to know that I am there. If I go personally, than I can keep out of sight of the enemy and the area will not be constantly bathed in my power. They wont immediately know that something is terribly wrong. I will have my Avatar return to Mordor. While I'm gone, I leave everything here in your hands." Aegon answered, earning a nod of understanding from Lilith.
"Very well. If you believe it's necessary I wont argue it. When will you leave?" Lilith inquired.
"The day of the battle. When our armies arrive. I shouldn't be gone for more than a day or two. Take my place if need be, there isn't a reason to concern those here with my departure." Was Aegon's reply.
"Oh I get to pretend to be you for a day? It's like a dream come true." Lilith responded with a playful and sarcastic tone.
"Sarcasm is unbecoming of you." Aegon noted with a smirk, earning a chuckle from Lilith.
"Regardless of the outcome at Erebor, ensure that we strike a blow to the dwarven kingdoms that they will never forget." Lilith commanded.
"I most certainly will. Try not to have too much fun while I'm gone." Aegon said to her.
"No promises. Letting you have the reigns to show how you've grown since I was banished has been fun but I feel like the time has come for me to take a more active role." Lilith answered, smirking in that devilish way that she did.
"Oh, and what are your plans?" Aegon asked of her.
"Not much, I just intend to make a few showings, and offer a few gifts to forge greater alliances." Lilith responded nonchalantly.
Aegon gave her a suspicious look which she returned with a smile.
"Well, it'll be good to have you by my side in this. Carrying this entire war by myself was getting tiring." Aegon responded after a moment, deciding that he would play her little game.
"Poor Sauron, a short little war with men, and he's just exhausted. Don't worry my love, I'll carry some of the weight for you." Lilith countered as she moved over to him, placing her arms around him, and letting him hold her.
"I do so look forward to it. Finally having you pull your weight around here will be a nice change of pace." Aegon stated, his hands resting on her hips as he smirked at her. Lilith playfully glared back for a moment, before letting out a snort of amusement.
"Just remember baby brother, you wanted this." Lilith replied, before kissing him.
Aegon simply chuckled at her and kissed her back. All of the pieces were falling into place. Barring any major surprises, soon the Lonely Mountain would belong to them, and with that vast store of treasure, it's position, and it's legacy, at their disposal, Middle Earth would be poised for a killing blow.
Several hours later, Aegon was moving through the castle, killing time until his army arrived at Erebor in a few short days.
He came upon Arya busily training with Sheeka, teaching her various acrobatics as well as tumbling. Arya was agile, and flexible, so these skills came quickly to her with practice. Arya was very driven when it came to her martial studies. She had a list, and intended to cross off more than a few names on that list.
It seems in her time away, the youngest Stark girl had taken on a vengeful mindset and intended to personally pay back those that had wronged her and her family. Aegon was more than happy to encourage that mindset, assassins, hunters, infiltrators and saboteurs were always useful.
He stopped for a moment to observe her acrobatics training, she was showing some skill as she practiced going from her back to her feet, while armed with either a knife or her own sword Needle.
Sweat poured from her brow as she repeated the action several times in repetition getting it right almost every time.
"You see that, it's all about being quicker than your opponent. When you're small and lithe like we are you're gonna get tossed around a lot, you gotta stay on your feet or else you'll get stuck." Sheeka instructed, earning a nod from Arya as she continued to practice.
"Seems your training is coming along well." Aegon noted as he approached the two. Arya stopped her practice when she spotted him and Sheeka bowed her head submissively and tucked into herself, almost in a way to make herself a smaller target if need be.
"It's not that hard once you get the hang of it." Arya boasted, her breathing a bit heavy, showing that she'd been at it for a bit and was a starting to tire, despite her outward confidence.
"Is that so?" Aegon inquired, making a mental note to start incorporating a bit of acrobatics training into his regiment. If he wanted to be as skilled as some of the elven warriors in Arda, he needed to improve his agility, as well as his skill.
Arya smiled back with confidence.
"Well let's see then." Aegon stated as he quickly stepped forward and shoved Arya to the ground. She fell onto the ground with a hard thud and stared up at him for only a moment before quickly springing back to her feet, placing her sword between him and her, a fire now burning in her eyes as she glared at him.
Aegon smiled in approval at that. She was confident, she was growing in skill, and she had a fire burning in her gut.
"Keep up the good work." He complimented, directing his words at Arya and her teacher.
Arya beamed back at him, happy to impress, while Sheeka quickly nodded, offering a quiet, 'my king' as Aegon departed.
Aegon continued on, finding his way to the top of the keep, where he stood out and overlooked the ocean. It wouldn't be long now, in a few short days Azog's army would arrive at the Lonely Mountain, and then, the battle for the mountain would begin. If Aegon's army was successful, and the mountain was taken, they would have a way to secure passage between Rhûn and Angmar. With such a passage secured, Angmar could be reinforced and that twisted kingdom could rise once more. At the moment it was quiet with forces slowly gathering here and there, all overseen by the steward of Carn Dûm, Mordirith. With aid from Rhûn and Mordor, Angmar's recovery could be hastened. At the moment, only the terrifying fortress-city of the Witch-King, Carn Dûm had been repaired, though at the current time it was highly undermanned and could offer little in the way of support, except to perhaps draw attention with a few light raids here and there.
Reclaiming the lands of Angmar would give the Dark Lord the ability to assault the weakened lands of Eriador. There he could hunt down and destroy the Dúnedain, and assault the Elven Stronghold of Rivendell.
Needless to say, taking the Lonely Mountain would be a great boon, though if it couldn't be taken, than weakening the free peoples in the area would still allow him to move almost unhindered through those lands, so regardless of the ultimate outcome, the Dark Lord and Lady, still came out on top.
Despite having the clear advantage, some would say overwhelming, Aegon had learned long ago that the might of the West was not something to scoff at. If the Valar and their armies marched out of Valinor today, Aegon was not confidant that they could be beaten. Lilith was stronger than most of the Valar combined, but she lacked greater skill in battle, and had been defeated before, and despite being unkillable, Aegon wasn't as freakishly powerful as his twin.
One twin held unspeakable power, gained through rituals, sacrifice, luck, desperation, and a number of other, more hellish means, while the other commanded vast powers, honed to a fine edge, and accumulated over many millennia of constant self-improvement. They were both cunning, both charismatic, both ruthless, and both were ready to challenge the whole of the world, to get what they wanted.
They were two sides to the same coin. Power and control. Deception and Corruption. Wrath and Rage. Destruction and Conquest. Strength and Skill. Together they could accomplish anything.
But with that confidence came the constant reminder to not be blinded by it. They were mighty now, but there was always room to improve. The stronger they became, the more likely they were to succeed.
So, no matter how certain things were, Aegon would always have a contingency in place. So that even if he lost, something of value was still gained.
If they took Erebor, than everything was good. If, for some reason, they failed than the enemy in that region would be diminished for years, so it was still a benefit. Azog's army slowly encroached on the Lonely Mountain while Bolg led his forces down from the North. It would take just a little under a week for Bolg's army to reach the Lonely Mountain from Mount Gundabad. They would have Smaug with them and would be poised to deal a killing blow to whatever enemies survived Azog's initial attack.
So Aegon had some time to kill until then. For the next few days he would focus his attention on his training and once his Avatar returned to Mordor, he would begin working on ways to improve it's durability.
-Two Days Later, King's Landing-
"They're burning the Westerlands, and already reports are coming in that the Reach is being raided from the Gold Road. An enemy force over ten thousand strong holds Bitterbridge now. They've secured the Roseroad, and cut us off from supplies. Attempts to cross the open country have met with minor success, but every day fewer and fewer supply carts make it through. Willas has raised an army ten thousand strong, and he could add thousands more to his ranks in the coming months, the problem is where to send them. Any attempt on Bitterbridge would be costly, and possibly devastating for our forces, and it would leave us open at Highgarden, but if the Roseroad isn't secured we wont have a guaranteed supply line to King's Landing, via land. We still have sea routes, but that could change any day now. Luckily, Randall Tarly leads Willas' force, so they have a competent commander, but beyond that, we're in a difficult position." Olenna Tyrell explained the situation to her son, and grandchildren.
"The king hasn't held court in several days, and whispers abound that Sansa Stark turned into a wolf and escaped the castle on the night that assassin infiltrated and murdered several guards." Margaery noted, sharing a glance with her brother Loras.
"I've heard such whispers as well, though Lord Tywin seemed unwilling to confirm them." Mace Tyrell offered in agreement.
"A Stark turning into a wolf, her supposed half-brother/cousin is a secret Targaryen, the Westerlands have fallen to chaos, and Casterly Rock was taken by an invading force for the first time in it's history, if I'm not mistaken. What else could possibly happen that could further confound this mess?" Olenna wondered aloud as she pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a tired sigh.
"What are we going to do, grandmother?" Margaery inquired, sensing that her grandmother had a plan in mind.
"We need to leave this accursed city and turn our attention to our own lands." Olenna replied after a few moments of thought. Mace Tyrell seemed shocked by the announcement while his children all shared looks with one another.
"Mother, are you suggesting we abandon King's Landing and the crown? What of Margaery's marriage to the King?" Mace asked.
"Think Mace! The Lannister's have lost their seat, and their kingdom. The Stormlands are still in open rebellion with half the lords there sworn to Stannis, and now our own lands are being threatened. The Dragonwolf and the Young Wolf are on the move. They have the North, the Riverlands, and now the Westerlands. The boy also has a dragon if word is to be believed. We must act, if our house is to survive! Tywin has lost all of his power. Only three kingdoms remain loyal, Dorne, The Eyrie, and us. The Dornish will turn on the Lannisters the moment Prince Oberyn finds a way out of this city and reports what he's learned to his brother. The Eyrie wont answer any call for aid because there's nothing Tywin or the King can do to threaten them, and in case I need to reiterate it Mace, our own kingdom is under attack!" Olenna laid out the situation, ensuring that her overly dense son, and her grandchildren full understood the magnitude of just how much the game had changed.
"What of my oaths grandmother? I am a King's Guard." Loras said.
"You put on that pretty white cloak to protect your sister when she became queen. She's not staying in this death trap, and neither are you." Olenna responded, staring intently at Loras who dropped his head and stared at the ground. He seemed conflicted, but in the end, wouldn't abandon his family.
"Lord Tywin claims to have a plan to try and deal with the Dragonwolf. What if he's successful?" Mace asked, worry in his gaze.
"Tywin Lannister's days of terror and cunning have long since passed him. The Young Wolf bested him at every turn, and now the Dragonwolf has seized his home. His greatness has passed. He no longer has the coin to manage some grand plan, nor a way to reinforce his army. All he has left is the few thousand men in his army here at King's Landing, and the Gold Cloaks. None of the other kingdoms will help him. He's despised by all, and a newer, more terrifying foe has come to dethrone and declaw the old lion. Even if he manages to somehow kill the Dragonwolf, he still must contend with the Young Wolf who will simply take command of Aegon's armies and continue the campaign. I can see the writing on the wall, why can't you? The Lannisters have lost. If Sansa Stark is truly gone from this place, then King's Landing has no shield against Aegon's dragon. I don't intend to burn with the Lions. Nor do I intend to let my family go the way of House Hoare. Burned in our castle." Olenna responded, her voice echoing with authority.
"Then we will submit to Aegon, and attempt to ally with him?" Garlan asked after a moment of silence.
"Do you see any other way of ensuring our survival in this war?" Olenna inquired in response.
"What of an alliance? Could we perhaps tempt him with an offer, something to not only help us survive but come out ahead of the others." Mace inquired after a moment.
"I doubt we'll come out ahead of the Starks in this, they are his family after all. The Tullys will do well, I have no doubt." Margaery pointed out.
"True, but that doesn't mean we still can't get what we want." Olenna noted, thoughtfully.
"And what is it that we want? Rumors I hear is that Aegon has taken on a sorceress as his bride. Some woman from beyond the Wall, a Wildling. We can offer him soldiers, supplies, and the like, but if he already has a bride, or even a wife, then I doubt that there will be a way to come out of this ahead." Loras asked.
"True, though even if he does have one wife, that doesn't mean he cannot take another. The Targaryens are known for it after all." Olenna pointed out, earning surprised looks from her family.
"Grandmother?" Margaery began.
"We can make him the offer, if he refuses, he refuses, and we'll at least have tried. We fought for his family during the rebellion-" Olenna began to reply, though Margaery was quick to point out a rather important detail.
"We supported one half of his family, against the other half, grandmother. Do not forget that. He was raised a Stark after all." Margaery stated, making sure that, that important piece of information wasn't overlooked.
"True. Though we never fought the Starks themselves, or the North for that matter, so it may still work in our benefit. We need all of our options available. Everything we can offer him to ensure that our family survives the war. We should make every attempt to ingratiate ourselves with the young lad, but at the same time, we must be prepared to settle, and not push it. He has the North, the Riverlands, and an army of monsters at his back. Aegon the Conqueror took the continent with less. We will not let our house burn to ash, nor will we allow our armies to march into another Field of Fire. If we're very lucky, your friendship with Sansa Stark will bare some fruit, and she will speak kindly on our behalf." Olenna continued on.
"If we're going to do this, join with the Targaryen king, it cannot be done from here." Garlan noted.
"No it cannot. And it'll be humiliating, but we're going to have to sneak out of the city unnoticed." Olenna replied.
"How would we do that, grandmother? We're no doubt being watched." Margaery inquired.
"We will inform the king that the force Willas raised in the Reach is marching on Bitterbridge, led by Randall Tarley. Our forces here at King's Landing will march there as well and we'll attack the bridge from both sides. In actuality, we'll use the departure of our troops to sneak out of the city. We'll hide in the back of wagons dressed as peasants if need be. But I don't want to risk what foolishness King Joffrey will try to pull if he hears of our departure." Olenna explained to her family. It wasn't going to be the most gracious exit, but they couldn't worry about their pride at the moment. Aegon was coming for their lands and their seat. If they didn't move quickly, they wouldn't have a home to return to, nor a kingdom to call their own.
The Tyrells were silent as they accepted their matriarch's plan. All of them understood that they were now in a dangerous position. If they didn't distance themselves from the Lannisters and quickly, they could end up losing their home, their kingdom, and even their lives.
They needed to find a way out, before they were all destroyed.
-The next day, Casterly Rock-
"Stay close." Benjen whispered to Sansa as they rode their way up to the keep of Casterly Rock. Both were on horseback, though Sansa stuck close to her uncle, eyeing the strange creatures with fear and uncertainty.
"These are those things from beyond the Wall?" Sansa inquired quietly.
"Yes. Orcs and Goblins and Uruks. Vicious creatures, but useful in a fight, and loyal to their king and queen." Benjen replied.
In their time together, both at Harrenhal and on the road, Benjen had warned Sansa of some of the things she would see when they arrived. The castle itself was busily being reconstructed, orcs and men worked hard to repair the damage that had been done to the castle during the siege.
Flying proudly was Aegon's personal sigil. Half Stark, Half Targaryen, emblazoned on a black field, with the red slitted eye over both. The direwolf on the sigil was also white instead of gray. An adjustment Aegon had made as people came to affiliate him with the White Direwolf that always followed him about.
Sansa couldn't help but admire the banners. Happy to see a reflection of her own house sigil, as well as the obvious evidence that despite Jon being a Targaryen, he still embraced his Stark heritage and kept it close to heart.
Aside from the hasty repairs, there was also strange statues that had been erected throughout the castle, in various courtyards or along passageways. Often these statues came in sets of two, depicting two armored warriors. It was difficult to make out who they were supposed to be due to the roughshod nature of their construction.
Interestingly, one of the two statues always bore the red slitted eye that was seen on the banners, either drawn on the chest or face of one of the two statues, while the other was covered in black cloth, almost exclusively.
"They worship them. Aegon and Lilith." Benjen noted when he saw her staring at the strange constructions.
"They do?" Sansa replied, glancing at him.
"Yes. It was only the creatures at first, and only Lilith in the beginning, but then the Northmen and the Wildlings, and now even some of the Riverlords began to worship them as well. They see the two of them as something else. Something more than just a king and queen. Lilith has shown incredible magics, and Aegon's been showing strange powers as well. These creatures see the two of them as godly figures, and I think some of the men are starting to believe it." Benjen explained.
"Do you believe it?" Sansa inquired.
"I know Aegon isn't a god, but the things he's done do cause one to take pause. And as for Lilith well… you know that rough ground we passed while approaching the castle, you saw how it led right up to the walls?" Benjen questioned in reply.
Sansa nodded, so he continued, "There was a cavern, and a ravine there before we attacked. Then Lilith used her magic and it all came tumbling down. Like the old stories of how the Children of the Forest smashed the arm of Dorne with the Hammers of Water. She broke a small mountain and filled an entire gorge with it's bulk. I don't know if that makes her a god or not. All I do know is that it's not something I want to mess with." Benjen answered, his response earning complete dumbfoundment from Sansa as they made it further and further into the castle until they finally reached the keep itself and were escorted inside.
They were brought through the halls of the keep until finally arriving at the war room, where Aegon and his commanders strategized for future campaigns.
"Your grace, apologies for intruding but you wanted to be notified immediately when your uncle returned." Their escort stated, offering a bow and standing off to the side as Benjen and Sansa entered.
The first person Sansa recognized was Jon. His hair had grown since the last time she'd seen him, he was still clean shaven, and his beautiful gray eyes were as piercing as ever. The moment he locked eyes with her, he smiled in that way that always made her heart soar.
A few heavy breaths drew her attention away from him as a towering beast rose from where it lay and approached her. For a moment, she froze. A wolf, taller than her by a few inches, stood before her. Pure white like freshly fallen snow, with blood red eyes. She recognized this creature immediately.
"Ghost?" Sansa asked. The wolf cocked his head for a moment before approaching her and licking her face, earning a smile from Sansa as she ran her hands over the massive wolf's thick fur.
Another direwolf was quick to join his brother. This one Sansa also recognized. Grey Wind trotted over to her, his steps far heavier than Ghost's. The overgrown wolf nearly knocked her down as he nuzzled against her. Sansa let out a laugh, probably the first genuine laugh she'd had in many long months.
"Alright you two, down." Sansa heard the familiar voice of her older brother.
Grey Wind and Ghost pulled back as Robb approached his little sister.
Upon seeing him, Sansa quickly flew into his arms, hugging him for all she was worth.
"I think we're done for now." Aegon addressed his generals.
"Your grace." Roose Bolton offered, bowing as he and Ramsay quickly departed, an action mirrored by most of the generals as they vacated the room, leaving only the Starks, Tullys, and Lilith behind.
Aegon began to circle the table, meeting with Benjen and offering the man pat on the shoulder.
"No trouble on the roads?" Aegon inquired to his uncle.
"Very little of note." Benjen replied, as Sansa and Robb pulled apart.
"I'm so glad to see you again. Mother and I never stopped worrying about you." Robb said to Sansa, earning a nod from her.
"I prayed for you, for all of you. Every day, I prayed for your victory. That you'd come to King's Landing and kill that lunatic sitting on the throne." Sansa responded.
"Did he hurt you?" Robb asked, his gaze intense, and an edge to his voice.
"He ridiculed me. Had me beaten. If it wasn't for the Hound, and Lord Tyrion, I probably would have done something to get myself killed." Sansa muttered in response, her gaze downcast, and her voice filled with hurt.
Robb looked furious and shared a glance with his uncles and cousin.
Benjen grit his teeth and shook his head, despite his similar feelings on the matter, nothing could be done about it now.
Aegon, meanwhile let out a silent curse and flexed his fingers, imagining Joffrey's throat in his hands as he did. After all, Sansa was his, one of his wolves, just like Robb and Benjen. They were his pack, and he didn't take too kindly to other people lording over them and tormenting them.
"The Hound kept you safe while you were there?" Edmure Tully inquired, drawing all of their attention.
"He saved my life. Probably more than once." Sansa responded.
"He's the one who brought Arya to us. He kept her safe on the road and brought her to us to ransom. They're both here now." Robb told her, earning a small smile from Sansa.
"I'll see the man greatly rewarded for that. That's now the second of my siblings he's kept safe from harm." Aegon said as Sansa turned to him.
He offered her a smile, which she quickly returned. Finally she pulled away from Robb wrapped her arms around Aegon. He returned the gesture, allowing her the moment to feel safe.
"Don't worry Sansa. They'll all pay for what they've done to us." Aegon whispered into her ear. Sansa offered a nod as she held back tears and pulled him into a tighter embrace.
Aegon held onto her, sharing a glance with Robb and then Edmure as he did. The Lannisters would most definitely come to regret what they had done to the Starks, that had always been a certainty, but now it was even more personal.
If felt like an eternity before Sansa finally pulled away from Aegon but when she did, she caught sight of Lilith standing nearby, observing them curiously.
Aegon too, noticed Lilith observing and began to introduce her.
"Sansa, this is Lilith. Lilith, my sister Sansa." Aegon offered.
Sansa eyed the woman, and immediately understood why Benjen seemed so nervous in regards to her. Lilith was a beauty. Pale white skin, long black hair, curvaceous and overall desirable, but it was her eyes that set her apart from other such beauties. The dim fiery glow of her eyes spoke of incredible power, and the gleam in them made Sansa feel tiny, insignificant even. There was something in those eyes that scared her to her very core.
Then the smile came. Lilith offered a pleasant smile and closed the distance between Sansa and her, she offered Sansa a curious once over, before reaching out and gently tracing her cheek.
"Hello Sansa. Your brother was right, you are quite lovely. It's very nice to meet you, I am Lilith." Lilith introduced herself.
"Hello, my lady..." Sansa replied timidly, her eyes still locked with Lilith's.
"Respectful too. A proper lady, not nearly as wild as young Arya." Lilith noted with a smirk, earning one from Aegon as well.
"Sansa's always taken more after her mother, but she can be fiery when she wants to be." Aegon noted, as Lilith turned her attention to him.
"Oh? I look forward to seeing that." Lilith replied, giving Sansa a final glance before she walked out of the room, leaving the Starks and Tullys to their reunion.
"So that was her?" Sansa stated after Lilith departed.
"Intimidating, I know." Aegon noted with a sigh.
"Is it true the things Uncle Benjen has said about her?" Sansa asked.
"I don't know what he's said, but probably. She can be quite terrifying, especially when she's in a foul mood, but she can be kind as well. She healed Bran's legs so that he could walk again. So, she's not all bad." Aegon expressed.
Sansa offered a quiet nod to that point. At the very least, she wasn't entirely evil, not like Cercei or Joffrey.
"Let's not worry about it. We should go find Arya, and I'm sure Robb would like you to meet his wife. I'd also like to introduce you to Maester Aemon." Aegon offered, drawing conversation away from Lilith and towards more comfortable discussions.
Sansa smiled at that and followed with her family as they sought out to find the rest of their family.
Reunions lasted well into the night. Sansa was overjoyed to see her sister again, having long feared that she was dead. The two hugged, and spoke about Arya's travels from King's Landing to Riverrun. Sansa got to meet Jeyne, Robb's wife, as well as Maester Aemon, who greeted her with kindness as he did with everyone.
She was surprised to see how young Aemon was, considering he was older brother to King Aegon the fifth, making him over a hundred years old. It was just another showing of Lilith's magic and furthered Sansa's understanding of just why people seemed to fear and revere her.
It was late into the night when their reunion ended and everyone made for bed. Aegon personally escorted Sansa to where she'd be staying, her own room near to where the rest of the Starks were holed up.
"I hope this room will work for now." Aegon offered as Sansa gazed around at the extravagant décor of what had no doubt once been a room for Lannister lords and ladies.
"Thank you." Sansa said to him, offering him a smile which he returned.
"Jon- Aegon… there's something I need to ask you about." Sansa began, as she approached him.
Assuming he knew what she wanted to talk about, he smiled and reached out, cupping her cheek, causing her to take in a breath and go still, her eyes locked with his.
"It's alright Sansa. You don't have to be afraid anymore. I'll keep you safe." He said to her.
Sansa reached up, placing her hand over his as she leaned into his palm. "Thank you." She said quietly.
"Do you still feel the same? Do you still care for me as you once did?" Aegon inquired.
"Do you?" She asked in reply, a nervous edge to her voice.
Aegon smiled at her and leaned in, gently brushing her lips with his own. The kiss was chaste, and as he pulled back, Sansa pushed forward, intensifying the kiss.
The two held together for several long moments before separating.
Sansa was silent for a few seconds as her gaze dropped from his face to his chest. A few stray tears fell from her eyes before she could lift her gaze back to his.
"We can't do this anymore, can we?" Sansa stated, though it wasn't a question, more like a summation of how she understood the situation. It was as if the roles were now reversed. Where once she had been the one engaged and had to pull away from him, now he was in that position.
"Why can't we?" Aegon inquired.
"What about Lady Lilith?" Sansa asked with confusion. She knew her brother well enough to know that he wasn't the type of man to abandon his duties. If he was engaged to this sorceress, than he'd be loyal to her.
"Lilith and I have plans for this world Sansa. Plans that can be aided by the joining of my house to others. Though I cannot promise you will always have me to yourself, she and I have agreed that there will be others. If you think you can live with that, than there is less of a reason for us not to be together. You are my cousin, a relationship that is far more acceptable than what the Targaryens are known for. You have the blood of the North and the Riverlands. She and I have already spoken on it being a good match, if you are willing." Aegon explained. Sansa was silent for a moment as she thought on that.
As she thought on his words, Aegon slowly pulled away, offering her the temptation of following after him, but leaving it as her choice whether to do so. In his long life, Aegon had learned that those who chose to walk in darkness, served it far more faithfully than those who were forced to.
"I'll leave you to think on it. I do care for you, so if you decide you want to pursue this, know that I do too. For now though, I'll leave, less someone get suspicious. We'll talk more later." Aegon offered to her as he headed out, leaving her with a charming smile.
He made his way to his room to find Lilith there waiting for him.
"Playing with your food, my love?" Lilith inquired, earning a snort of amusement from Aegon.
"Perhaps. So, what do you think of her?" Aegon responded as he closed the door and began to undress, ready to settle in for the night.
"A cute little creature, I'll give you that. So long as she's interesting, I think I could enjoy her. We'll just have to see how things go. We've only just met after all." Lilith answered.
"You think she's cute? Doesn't overly remind you of a certain someone?" Aegon asked, giving her a curious look.
Lilith was silent for a moment as she thought on his question, finally she answered. "Nope. Can't seem to think of anyone she reminds me of."
"Sure." Aegon said, not believing her.
"Well, perhaps she may look like our mother. She was a redhead, same pale skin, though she has blue eyes instead of green." Lilith admitted after some thought.
Again, Aegon gave her a look, knowing she was intentionally not mentioning the other person that Sansa shared some qualities with. Someone that Lilith hated with a burning passion. Aegon didn't have deeper feelings for Sansa, though he did have affection for her. If Lilith intended to torment her due to those baser similarities than Aegon would simply forgo any relationship with Sansa and save himself the headache.
Lilith was vindictive, he knew that well, so if she had any plans on projecting onto Sansa, her hatred for Harry Potter's wife, than he would rather know ahead of time. Feelings and emotions were difficult things to control, and while he wasn't in love with Sansa in the same way he was with Lilith, he knew how emotions worked well enough to know that engaging in a deeper relationship would lead to feelings blossoming, even if it was never full blown love, he'd rather not put himself in that position if at all possible.
Lilith seemed to understand what he was thinking and gave him a small smile. "She is dead, my love. Her ghost can do no harm to either of us. I don't even remember what she looks like anymore. I cannot picture her face in my mind. The only part of her I remember, was her screams when she died. You needn't worry, I trust your judgment. If you think she'll be good for us, than I'll give her a chance. I have no reason to hate her at the moment, though I can assure you if she gives me one, you'll be the second to know."
Aegon let out a dark chuckle at her choice of wording, as he made his way over to the bed.
"Do not fret baby brother. We will see if she is worthy, together. Just as we will for all those to come. If she is not, than she will be cast onto the wayside. And if she is, well then…" Lilith began to say as he crawled into bed with her and pulled her into a kiss.
"Alright then. We'll see how things go. For now let's just enjoy ourselves, and forget the rest of the world." Aegon suggested.
"Sounds wonderful to me." Lilith replied as she pulled him into another kiss.
In the days that followed, Aegon spent a lot of his time in talks with his generals, though he did spend a few scant moments during meals with Sansa and Arya.
Sansa tentatively began taking lessons from Benjen and Robb, learning how to control her own werewolf abilities.
Sansa had expressed that there was something she wanted to speak to Aegon about, in regards to a dream she had had back in Winterfell, but with how busy Aegon was, the time for them to have a private conversation didn't seem to come up.
Aegon did express that he would have more free time in a few days, he was just ensuring that everything was taken care of before he went to run an errand. This errand was a secret and would take him away from Casterly Rock for a day or so, at the most.
Only a handful of people knew about this errand, some of his generals, Robb, and Maester Aemon, and now Sansa and Arya.
What this errand was, he didn't say, but it had something to do with magic, something he was doing for Lilith so few people directly questioned him on it.
Eventually the time came. It was the day before Azog's and Bolg's armies would arrive at the Lonely Mountain, and Aegon was preparing to leave.
He didn't make a big show of his departure, offering a quick goodbye to his family and Lilith, before apparating to Tantibus Arcis.
From there he traveled through the portal back to Middle-Earth.
-Middle Earth-
Once there he took to the skies, moving quickly out towards the Lonely Mountain.
It was the middle of the night when he arrived at Ravenhill. Ravenhill was a ruined fortress overlooking the valley and city of Dale. It sat on the slopes of the Lonely Mountain, and had a good view of the main entrance to Erebor.
He was alone when he appeared there, the quiet, snow covered ruin seemed entirely abandoned. Reaching out, Aegon could feel his wraiths approaching up the mountain towards Ravenhill. No doubt they were with Azog and his personal guard. If Azog was headed to Ravenhill, than he no doubt intended to use the ruined fortress as a command post from which to oversee the battle.
Across the valley, Aegon could feel the earth shifting, as several massive entities tunneled and bored their way through the earth. The Were-worms that had been recruited to aid their army, had been used to great affect. They were tunneling through the side of the valley, allowing Azog's army to close the distance between itself and the Gates of Erebor. When the moment was right, the worms would burrow out of the valley floor and allow the orc army to flood out and attack the Mountain.
Down below, in the ruined city of Dale, Aegon came upon a curious sight. Elves, and a lot of them. Woodland elves, from their appearance, and armor.
"An army of elves… now what are you doing here?" Aegon wondered as he gazed down at the city. He kept his powers fully retracted, hiding himself within his own body. Much as he had, under the guise of Annatar, he kept his own malevolence at bay, which prevented the elves from seeing who or what he truly was.
Doing so also served another benefit, as he sensed the presence of Gandalf the Grey, within the city as well. So long as he kept his powers retracted, he would have to get very close in order for Gandalf to see him for what he was.
Aegon intended to oversee this battle, though with Gandalf here, it would make it far more difficult to get involved if he didn't want to be seen. The ruse with his Avatar had no doubt convinced the leaders of the West that he was growing in power but still reduced. If Gandalf saw him now and managed to escape this battle, he'd no doubt carry that information to the others, and then he'd lose the element of surprise.
Unfortunately, that meant that he probably wasn't getting involved in this fight.
Aegon sat in silence atop the tallest tower, for nearly an hour as he awaited the arrival of his wraiths and Azog. He spent most of his time reflecting on what he would do in regards to the outcome of this battle. He hadn't anticipated the elves being here. Their presence gave the forces of the West a better chance at succeeding, but they were still heavily outnumbered, and were unaware of the second army, led by Bolg and bolstered by Gundabad Bats, and the mighty Smaug.
Turning his gaze out to the east and expanding his sight beyond the horizon, he could make out the approach of a dwarven army. No doubt reinforcements summoned by Thorin Oakenshield. Even with elves, dwarves, and men united together, they still would be outnumbered. Their only hope was to hole up in Erebor.
Turning his gaze towards the mountain, he could see that the entrance had been heavily damaged, no doubt from when Smaug left Erebor to attack Lake-town. The entrance had been repaired with a makeshift barricade of stone, preventing easy access to the mountain.
He could spot a single watcher upon the gates, watching over the valley. Barring any other secret entrances, there would only be a handful of dwarves within the Mountain itself. Meaning if they could breach the gates, the mountain would be easy pickings.
Aegon heard the arrival of his forces, as they entered into the ruined fortress. The clanking of metal armor and growls of orcs as Azog's command unit arrived alerted him to their presence.
Aegon slowly turned his attention to the arriving orcs, as Azog, his bodyguards, and his wraiths stepped up onto the top of the tower overlooking the valley and Dale.
The orcs paused at seeing him, this strange man in black armor, emblazoned with Aegon's personal crest, formed out of rubies.
Several orcs let out growls and drew their weapons, only for the four wraiths in unison to pull their swords and hold the orcs at bay, preventing them from approaching their master.
"Hello, Azog. I've come to see how the battle will play out." Aegon stated as he rose to his feet and began to approach the orc warlord.
Azog the Defiler stared back at the man with confusion and contempt. He did not recognize this human, nor did he understand why the Nazgûl were defending him.
Aegon smirked at his confusion and allowed his eyes to flash a fiery orange. "Come my servants. Show me what you're capable of." Aegon commanded.
Realization slowly dawned on the pale orc, as the wraiths stepped away from the orcs and dropped to their knees before their dark master.
The fire in Aegon's eyes grew in intensity, before he let out a chuckle.
"Fear not. I have only come to observe. Go about your business, mighty Azog, show me what you can accomplish." Aegon offered, allowing the tension to break, and his eyes to return to normal.
Offering an almost uncertain nod, Azog did just that, and set about ordering his forces, and setting up his command post.
Aegon sat back with his wraiths and simply observed as the orcs went about their business under cover of night. The mighty orc warchief, was a powerful tool. Several centuries old, towering, with pale white skin, marked with tribal symbols. One of his arms had been taken off at the elbow, and had been replaced by a prosthetic. This prosthetic was a long edged blade, that was anchored into the flesh of his arm, allowing him a weapon for use in battle.
Azog and his son Bolg were both mighty fighters, and once this battle was finished, Aegon had plans for the two of them.
He watched as the orcs erected totems, overlooking the valley. These totems bore large leather wings that could be bent with the use of rope. A large horn was also set up nearby. The idea was that Azog had taught his field commanders certain symbols that could be formed with the totems. And these symbols meant certain commands. Azog would oversee the battle from Ravenhill and when he had a command, the totems would be adjusted to the proper command, and then the horn would be blown, signifying to his commanders on the ground to turn their gaze towards the totems to see what their orders were.
It was an interesting strategy, one that allowed for a full view of the battlefield, and with open ended orders that allowed the ground commanders to determine how to fulfill them. Definitely not something that was commonly employed in this day and age. The opportunity to pull off such a command and control scheme, couldn't really be accomplished on most battlefields, but due to the terrain of the valley, it was something that could be done here, and Azog intended to take full advantage of it.
As preparations were being undergone, Aegon turned his attention back towards Erebor. He felt a call coming from that place. The promise of untold riches, it's strategic position, the value of simply having it, what it would mean for the area. He wanted it. It was almost as if it was calling to him.
The pull was strong, almost unnaturally so. As his gaze fell onto the entrance to Erebor, he spotted a curious sight. A tiny figured repelling from the wall via rope. It was a hobbit by the looks of it.
"What is a hobbit doing here?" Aegon wondered as he gazed down at the small creature.
Aegon felt his gaze locked onto the small creature. There was something about it that was calling to him. He felt the need to go down there. To intercept the hobbit, but he didn't know why.
He watched as the hobbit raced across the open expanse between Erebor and Dale. The city itself sat about a mile or so from the entrance of Erebor, so while it wasn't a vast distance, it took just a bit longer for the tiny creature to make it across. Hobbits were shorter than dwarves after all, but this one had stamina, and was keeping a steady pace.
Aegon had never had the opportunity to really interact with this race. They were generally unimportant. The only three things that hobbits were known for was their love of farming, food, and pipe weed. They weren't an ambitious lot, nor were they particular skilled at much else. Most of them now lived somewhere in Eriador, though Aegon didn't know exactly where off the top of his head. That information never really seemed to matter, because they were such an unassuming people.
As far as he could recall, a hobbit had never done anything noteworthy in history. They didn't participate in any great battles, they weren't well known for their artistry or crafts. They simply existed, and to even that point, some people would have doubt.
Aegon watched the little hobbit cross the valley and make his way towards Dale. He ran as if his life were at stake, and as he moved, Aegon couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to go down there. Something about that hobbit was calling to him. It made him anxious, and nervous. What the hell was going on with this hobbit?
Aegon focused on the feeling as the hobbit snuck into the city. It was familiar, and it grew more so, the more he focused on it. It was like an echo of himself, like he was calling out to himself, beckoning himself forward.
It was a queer notion, something that didn't make sense to him. What could it possibly be that was calling out to him?
An echo of himself? It felt like he was calling to himself, from that hobbit. Perhaps some strange spell? No… it was something more than that.
"What is this? What is calling to me? It's so familiar and yet… wait… that's impossible." Aegon's eyes widened as he watched the hobbit slip into Dale and vanish from sight.
Aegon focused more on the feeling, the familiarity of it. He began tracing his pointer finger on his right hand.
"That's not possible. Isildur supposedly had it and lost it in the Anduin. It can't be here. In the hands of a hobbit! What trickery is this?" Aegon rose to his feet and began to pace, concentrating on the feeling.
It had to be his Ring. It just had to be. He was half tempted to call out to it, to hear it call back and confirm his suspicions. He hesitated though. What was his Ring doing in the hands of a hobbit? Was this some sort of plot, something to lure him out of hiding?
Why did the hobbit have it? Was it possible he had simply found it, by some form of providence? He was now in Dale, with Gandalf. The wizard would surely notice the ring, he would take it, and succumb to it's power. Aegon felt an echo of fear pass through him as he began to pace, his eyes locked onto Dale as he waited. Perhaps the Ring had found it's way into Erebor and the Hobbit had found it and was taking it to Gandalf?
Such a thought chilled him to his bones. If the Grey Wizard took his ring and learned to control it's powers, he would stand as a force even greater than Aegon himself. Aegon waited in anticipation, he knew it would come any second. The wizard would receive the ring, and their enemies would grow in power.
Aegon grit his teeth and swore under his breath. He waited for it. Waited for the feeling of his Ring being used, of it's power falling into the hands of the Istari. He waited and waited, each second stretching out to a lifetime.
He waited… and nothing happened.
Minutes went by. Then an hour, then two. Suddenly he felt it. The power of his ring. Someone had put it on!
For half a heartbeat, he tensed, and then relaxed. He felt nothing. No great power, no explosion of energy. Someone was using his ring, but it wasn't Gandalf, it wasn't one of the elves.
He stared down at Dale, dumbfounded and uncertain.
Then he saw it. Invisible to the living world, and concealed within the unseen wraith world. The hobbit was wearing his ring! He was racing out of Dale heading back towards the Mountain.
Aegon stared in confusion. Why did the Hobbit still have his ring? Had he hidden it from the elves and the wizard? Was he keeping it to himself? What if this wasn't a trap?
"They don't know he has it! He doesn't know what it is!" Aegon realized in excitement as he watched the Hobbit cross the expanse and climb his rope back up the walls of Erebor. He continued to feel his ring in use until it was long within the halls of Erebor.
"They don't know it's here!" Aegon said to himself as a cruel laugh left his lips.
He had to lean on some stones as excitement built in his heart. A hobbit was a frail little thing. They weren't great fighters, there was no way a hobbit would be entrusted to carry the One Ring. He had it, because no one else knew, that he had it.
This was too good to be true. This was fantastic.
The moment the battle began, and the chaos was in full swing, Aegon would go down there, kill the little hobbit and take back his ring.
It would all work out better than he'd hoped. With his Ring back, his powers would expand vastly. He would hold more power than he ever had before. He would claim it, and damn the consequences.
Aegon stared at the mountain, almost unblinking for nearly an hour, as he waited in anticipation for the battle. Every second he yearned to simply fly down there break in through the entrance and take it back by force. There was only a handful of dwarves in there. There was nothing really stopping him.
At several moments, he almost did just that, only to then settle down and patiently wait.
"This is amazing! Absolutely fantastic. So many of my enemies dead. Erebor under my command. A gateway to Angmar. And my Ring back! This is a momentous day!" Aegon thought to himself as he paced back and forth.
He was anxious now. His ring was so close, he could almost simply reach out his hand, and take it.
Even if nothing else went right today, getting his ring back would make it all worth it. He could take his ring back, and with his enhanced powers, when he finally revealed himself, he would be near unstoppable.
His enemies had no idea what was hidden right under their noses. Aegon chuckled to himself, thanking whatever higher powers had granted him such luck, when an idea came to mind.
"They don't know that the Ring has been found. The hobbit has it, and he's most likely keeping it to himself. The seductive qualities of the Ring are keeping him from willingly parting with it. They don't know about it, but I do. Could I use that?" Aegon wondered as he turned thoughtful.
"Is there some way I could take it back, without the Hobbit realizing that he'd lost it? What could I do with that?" Aegon questioned before he stopped and glanced up at the sky as he thought on that.
"The moment they know about the Ring, my enemies will gather together. One of two outcomes is likely to occur. Either one of their leaders will take the Ring and use it's power to try and destroy me, or they'll try to get the Ring into Mordor where it can be destroyed. Either outcome would require a massive army. In fact, something so daring may require all of the might of the free peoples of Middle Earth. If I could trick them into thinking they had it, I could trigger an event where they'd all gather together. I could destroy all of my enemies in one fell swoop, but how to go about it. I need to take back the Ring, I cannot risk leaving it in the hands of the Hobbit, but perhaps there is a way forward. What if I swapped the Ring for a copy?" Aegon turned his gaze back towards Erebor as a cruel smile spread across his face.
"Yes… A fake. Something that looked like my Ring, acted like it, felt like it, but was little more than a replica. I could make a convincing copy. No one would know the truth unless they tried to access it's powers. A simple trinket that reacted to fire, held the same inscriptions, and when put on, would transport it's user to the wraith world. It would have to feel like me, and carry compulsion magics within it. But such a ruse wouldn't work if someone with power, tried to use it. If one of the elves took it, or the wizard, they'd realize it was a fake the moment they touched it. But that's only if they decided to use it. What if they only decided to destroy it? They wouldn't use it, they'd fear it too much. They'd try and get it to Mordor and destroy it at Mount Doom. If they never used its true power, they'd never know it was a fake. What if they did though? Could a trap still work?" Aegon thought on all the possibilities that could occur with such a plot. The pros, the cons, everything that could happen.
"A portkey. Set to trigger if someone attempted to access the fake's true power. If they didn't use it, then it would serve it's purpose as a trap, and if they did, then the leader who intended to use it to unite my foes together against me, would instead be teleported to Barad-dûr, right into my hands. Either their entire army would march against me, bringing all of their forces together, or one of their leaders… Elrond, Galadriel, Gandalf, Saruman, Celeborn, any one of them could take it, and try to use it's power, and be brought right to me. Yes… a trap… but how to see it done? Great power will be needed to make the ruse work. It must feel like me, my essence must be tied into this fake, not a lot, but enough to fool those that are to fearful to interact with it." Aegon continued to think on the idea, as it further developed.
His mind whirled with complex ideas and thoughts as he developed a plan. He would secretly steal back the One Ring, and replace it with a replica. A copy, created through the use of the Doubling Charm. This copy would then be reinforced with dark magics, granting it powers that would mimic simple use of the Ring, but would fail if anyone with the proper know-how tried to actually use it's power. He would need to place a bit of his essence within the fake, to make it completely convincing, so that just short of actually putting it on, no one, not even the Istari would be able to tell it was a fake.
Oh yes, such a thing was possible. He could make some preparations for now, but he'd need to wait until the battle had begun and everyone was distracted so that he could hide the acts of magic that would be needed to see it done.
Letting out one of the most devilish chuckles he ever had, Aegon set to more on preparing everything he would need. He couldn't begin using a lot of magic, less he draw the attention of those below, so he was stuck with just getting everything set up. It was winter time in Middle-Earth, and through Ravenhill, ran a river that flowed down into the Valley of Dale. The river went over a waterfall, both of which were frozen at the moment.
He ripped free several icicles and slowly filled them with his magic, using them as a medium for the ritual he was preparing for.
He recruited the warchief Azog to his cause, commanding him at the moment the battle began to send a messenger down to the army and warn all of his forces that if a hobbit was seen during the battle, he was to be ignored and to remain alive. Under no circumstances was the Hobbit to be killed. The Dark Lord had a plan for the halfling, and it involved him living.
The orcs didn't understand, but they accepted his demands regardless, fearing the Nazgûl and their dark master. Aegon also dispatched one of the Nine to ride out and intercept Bolg's army. They were to be informed as well that none were to kill the halfling.
As the sun began to rise, Aegon finished his preparations and took his position atop the tower overlooking the valley. He watched, alongside Azog, his bodyguards, and the three remaining wraiths as the Elven army, along with a force of men, marched out of the city of Dale.
The elves looked imposing in their shining armor, to normal people, such a host would appear magnificent. Though Aegon was unimpressed. These were wood elves, their skills in armoring, and crafting were middling, in comparison to the armies that the Dark Lord had faced in the Second Age.
The force of men that traveled with them, was little more than a group of angry fishermen, armed with weapons pilfered from the ruins of Dale. Rusted, dust covered swords, spears, shields, and bows. Most of them were unarmored, though the occasional man had a coat of chainmail to keep him safe.
In total there was probably four thousand elves, and around six or seven hundred men.
A respectable force, for a simple intimidation tactic, though if the gates of Erebor had actual defenders, such a force wouldn't be nearly enough to even threaten the great dwarven kingdom, let alone actually assail it.
Aegon watched as the army gathered before the gates of Erebor, and the leaders of the men and elves both rode up before the army to address King Thorin who stood upon the gates of Erebor with his company. Aegon could sense that the Hobbit was with them, on the gates as well.
The human leader seemed to be the man who had been attempting to kill Smaug during his attack on Laketown. It seems that he had survived the collapse of the tower. Aegon wondered who he was, if he was anyone important, or just a skilled archer that the people had turned to when in need of a leader?
He didn't know, but he was far more interested in the Elven leader, which was the King of the Woodland Realm, Thranduil.
The sight of the Elven King brought a smile to Aegon's face. If he could kill him today, that would greatly weaken the elven host in these lands. Attempts to reclaim Dol Guldur would be far more successful without the Mirkwood elves bothering him.
Aegon watched the discussion continue until the leader of the Lake-town men, revealed something in his possession. Again, Aegon couldn't help but smirk as the man revealed that he had the fabled Arkenstone in his possession.
The Heart of the Mountain, a stone that represented the might of the dwarven people, and granted additional merit to the sovereign of the dwarves. If a king held that stone, his rule would be absolute. If Aegon got his hands on it, he'd prevent the dwarves from uniting so fervently behind a single leader. They would instead remain fractured, and would be easy pickings when the time came to conquer them.
He also though that the marvelous stone would be a wonderful gift to Lilith. It's shining brilliance, while pale in comparison to the legendary Silmarils, would no doubt remind Lilith of those wondrous stones, and bring a smile to her face.
Aegon decided in that moment, that he would use that man in his ritual. Kill two birds with one stone.
An incident began to occur, something on the gates of Erebor, which resulted in a mighty shout from Gandalf the Grey. His voice boomed through the air, and was easily heard, even from this distance by the orcs.
Not long afterwards, the hobbit descended from the same rope he had used to slip out of Erebor earlier. As he made his descent the dwarven army made it's arrival, cresting over the opposite side of the valley, near to the entrance.
The leader of this dwarven army was Dáin II Ironfoot. Lord of the Iron Hills. Another foe that Aegon would happily see to the grave this day. He led a force of roughly two thousands dwarves, two hundred or so Ram-Riders, five War Chariots, and a handful of heavy dwarven ballista.
Dáin rode down the slope of the valley and greeted the leaders of the elven and mannish armies. In no uncertain terms, he was telling them to leave. Gandalf seemed to try and talk him down, but discussions quickly broke down, and Dáin returned to his army, calling forth his Ram-Riders to prepare for a heavy cavalry charge.
Dwarven rams and goats were terrifying beasts, when used in battle. They were large creatures, about as tall a full grown man. Their horns were thick, and could be used to deliver an incredible hammering to any foe caught in their path. A cavalry charge by them was a devastating thing, especially when one considered that their horns often deflected spear points. While not always beneficial, their horns could force a spear to glance off and away from the ram or it's rider, negating the effect and allowing the ram to roll over it's target.
The dwarven war chariots were also pulled by the powerful beasts, making them destructive tools of combat.
Aegon couldn't help but laugh as the dwarves charged down towards the elves. A battle between both sides quickly broke out, as all three sides felt their greed for the riches within the mountain, overtake their senses. For every elf, or dwarf that died to each other's hands, their combined chances of survival went down.
Less than a minute or two after both sides entered into battle with one another, the ground began to shake. Across the valley from Ravenhill, the ground burst open as a handful of Were-worms erupted from the earth, their appearance stopping the battle in it's tracks.
The Were-worms retreated back into the holes they made. Azog then delivered a command, calling for his armies. A large horn was blown, and out from the tunnels made by the giant worms, Azog's army began to pour out.
Twenty thousand orcs and goblins, along with dozens of ogres, oleg-hai, and wargs rushed out of the tunnels, forming into long columns and rushing in to engage the dwarves and elves.
The battle soon began in earnest as both side clashed with one another, on one side, dwarves and elves, and on the other, Azog's army. Their dispute momentarily forgotten as the elves and dwarves united to face the armies of darkness.
For several long minutes, the battle raged. Aegon watched from Ravenhill, memorizing the sight of it, planning on showing it all to Lilith, upon his return. He was sure she'd enjoy seeing elves getting cut down in droves, he most certainly did.
"They cannot fight on two fronts… Now we make our move. Attack the City!" Azog roared, as the totems were adjusted and another horn blast filled the air.
Half of Azog's army broke off and began to march on the ruined city of Dale. As they did, a team of massive trolls emerged from the tunnels, each equipped with a trebuchet on their backs, similar in nature to the war beasts that Aegon utilized in Westeros.
As the orcs moved into position, the men of Dale, along with Gandalf and the hobbit raced back to Dale in order to defend it.
The crumbling walls of the city were quickly knocked down by a combination of bombardment and a troll, with a stone wedge attached to it's head, acting as a battering ram.
As Gandalf vanished into the city, Aegon began to set about his task. Using the cover of the battle, he finished preparations for the dark ritual he intended to create his fake ring.
It took some time to see this done, and when Aegon was finished and returned to observe the battle, he could see that it wouldn't be long now before the dwarves collapsed.
The dwarves themselves had fallen back to the gates of Erebor and were trying to regroup before them while the Elves had pushed through the orc attack and had made it into Dale where they fought alongside their mannish allies to try and survive.
"The dwarves are nearly spent. It's time we made our final move. These lands shall run red with their blood. Slaughter them all!" Azog commanded, to the sound of another horn blast.
My lord, shall we move to retrieve the hobbit?" Khamûl inquired.
Aegon was about to respond as the dwarves finished regrouping, and the orcs reformed their lines in preparation for a final clash.
A loud horn bellowed through the air from the gates of Erebor, a dwarven horn by the sounds of it.
Suddenly, the makeshift barricade that Thorin's company had erected to secure the entrance to Erebor exploded outward, as a massive golden bell lurched through it, sending stone flying through the air.
Moments later, Thorin and his company came charging out of the newly made hole in the gates.
Dáin immediately ordered him men to join with Thorin in his counter charge, and the dwarves rushed forward, rallying behind their king.
"Persistent." Aegon though to himself, as he observed the battle with a keen eye. Not long after leading his forces into the fight, Thorin and a small group of his company commandeered a ram, and the only remaining heavy chariot and began making a push towards Ravenhill.
"It seems your old friend would like a word." Aegon noted, drawing Azog's attention towards Thorin and his companions as they pushed through the orc lines.
Azog gave a command to his forces, ordering his war beasts to attack Thorin and his companions.
As this was happening, Aegon stepped away, followed by his wraiths.
"I'm off to retrieve the sacrifice, move into the city and retrieve the hobbit, remain unseen for as long as possible." Aegon commanded his wraiths.
With the elves and Gandalf fully engaged and surrounded by enemies, Aegon wasn't overly worried about being caught. So long as he wasn't seen directly by the Grey Wizard, no one would be able to see through his form to the truth underneath.
With that in mind he quickly flew down to the city, appearing within it. A few of the orcs, not recognizing him, rushed forward to attack, they were immediately cut down as Aegon pushed through them, his target nearby.
It didn't take long to find the man he was looking for, he only needed to follow the familiar feeling of the Arkenstone. He rounded a corner just in time to see the bowman shoot down an ogre with an arrow through the heart.
The beast collapsed to the ground, sparing it's intended target. A woman… no a man dressed as a woman.
Aegon paused at the curious sight. The man that had just been saved, was dressed as an old lady, dress and bonnet covering most of his features. He wore a corset that seemed to be stuffed with golden coins.
The bowman and the man he'd just saved started to argue.
"Get up." The bowman commanded, disgust evident in his voice.
"Get away from me! I don't take orders from you! You could have had it all. The Master's mantle was yours for the taking, and you through it all away. For what?" The man dressed as a woman replied, eyeing his rescuer with contempt.
The bowman glanced over his shoulder at a nearby doorway where three young teenagers were huddled together, quite obviously the bowman's children.
"How touching..." Aegon commented as he stepped out of the shadows, surprising the five of them.
"Who are you?" The bowman asked as Aegon approached.
"No one important. Just here to collect a few things." Aegon replied with a surprisingly charming smile.
Despite it's charming nature, the sight of it, in the middle of a battle, set the bowman on edge, but before he could react, Aegon seized him by the throat.
Da!" His children called out, the oldest a boy, held back his sisters. Aegon smirked as the bowman clawed as his hand, trying desperately to break free. The cowardly crossdresser turned to flee, only to be pulled by shadows into Aegon's open hand.
"No tattling now." Aegon chastised the man as he crushed the cowards neck in his hand, causing his body to limb.
He dropped the corpse to the ground and tossed the bowman hard into a stone wall, turning just in time to swat away an attempted impalement by the bowman's son.
Aegon smirked at the boy, seizing him by his coat and lifting him off the ground, his sisters cried for him and begged for him to be released. The boy did as his father had attempted and clawed at Aegon's hand, trying desperately to get him to release him.
"Such defiance. Say goodbye to your father boy. You'll never see him again." Aegon said to him, causing the boy's eyes to go wide as Aegon tossed him back into the doorway where his sisters cowered, knocking them all to the ground.
Aegon turned back to the bowman just as he swung his sword at Aegon.
Aegon caught the blade in his hand, and snapped it with ease. The bowman's eyes went wide as he began to back away.
"What are you?" He asked.
"Ah, but I already told you, I'm no one important." Aegon replied with a chuckle, before rushing forward and seizing the man once again.
"Da, Da!" The bowman's children screamed for them as the three crawled to their feet.
Aegon turned and offered the three a devilish smirk before disappearing in a burst of smoke and shadow.
The bowman felt the world rushing past him and could do nothing other than scream. It felt like he was being squeezed through a tube, and when it came to an end, he impacted the ground, hard. Cold stone impacted his cheek, as he let out a groan.
He slowly lifted his gaze and found himself surrounded by the ruins of Ravenhill.
The man was shocked to his core, and found himself unable to comprehend what had happened to him. He heard a menacing growl and slowly turned. Surrounding him was a half-dozen orcs, as well as the man who had kidnapped him.
"Come, bowman… I have some things that I require your assistance with." Aegon commanded as the bowman felt his body go stiff, and he began to lift into the air and float after Aegon.
He was brought into an open area within the ruined fortress where several icicles had been impaled into the ground. The bowman was brought into the formation of icicles where he was dropped onto the floor.
Two orcs proceeded to grab him and hold him on his knees, while Aegon sat on a rock, and offered the man a cruel smile.
"And now we wait." Aegon hummed.
"What is this? What do you want from me?" The bowman demanded as he struggled against the grip of the orcs.
"You have the honor of serving as a principle part of my grand plan. You see, I have aspirations. Mighty aspirations. I intend to see this world swallowed in a darkness of my own making. You have been selected to aid me in this momentous task." Aegon replied, earning confusion from the human.
"I don't expect you to fully understand. Trust that I will build a better world. One free of chaos, and built on order. Speaking of which, the Arkenstone." He began gesturing to one of the orcs.
The bowman's eyes went wide as a third orc approached him, and quickly dug through his coat, retrieving the Arkenstone and bringing it to Aegon.
Aegon took the stone with a smirk, marveling at it's beauty. A gem, dug out of the earth, this stone shone with it's own inner light, and took all light that entered it, and changed it into countless sparks of radiance and color.
It truly was a beautiful object, quite possibly the most beautiful gemstone, ever fashioned by the dwarves.
"Yes, Lilith will truly enjoy this wondrous stone." Aegon hummed in thought.
"My lord, the dwarven king, and some of his men have ridden into Ravenhill. They are close." A goblin rushed into the chamber and quickly reported.
Aegon nodded and rose to his feet. "Keep him here, break his legs if he tries anything, but do not kill him."
The orcs nodded in responses as Aegon exited the chamber. He moved through the ruins and came out of an alcove overlooking the frozen riven and the rest of the fortress on the opposite side.
Below him, stood Thorin, and his companions, discussing a plan of action. Thorin was quick to command two of his companions to scout out the other side of the fortress and report on what they found.
Just as he finished giving the order, a small swarm of goblin mercenaries came rushing over a nearby wall, leaving Thorin and his remaining companion to hold them off.
Aegon held back and watched. He would have stepped in and quickly killed the dwarven king, but he suddenly felt his ring fall into use. He knew it wasn't one of the Nazgûl, so it had to be the hobbit using it again.
He remained in the shadows and watched as the battle played out. Several minutes later, the Nazgûl returned, appearing behind him in the darkness.
"Where is the Ring?" Aegon asked.
"The Halfling has used it. He comes here. We held back when we saw that he was headed for the fortress. The wizard is not with him." Khamûl explained.
"I see. You chose well then. The lesser chance for the wizard to learn of this, the better." Aegon agreed with the wraith's logic.
Aegon and the wraiths waited as they all felt the Ring get closer and closer and closer.
Aegon couldn't help but wonder just why the hobbit was making the trek all the way up here? It's not like he could manage much on his own. The answer came as the hobbit made his arrival, showing up not long after the last of the goblins was killed by the two dwarves.
The hobbit rushed up to them, pulled off the ring while their back were turned and called out to Thorin.
"Bilbo..." The Dwarf king spun around, and seemed elated to see the halfling.
"You have to get out of here. Another army is coming, this place is gonna be overrun, there'll be no way out." Bilbo explained through heavy breaths.
"Well that would explain why he's here. I wonder how he knows that." Aegon thought to himself.
As Thorin began to order his other dwarven companion to call back the two that were sent across the frozen river to scout out the rest of the fortress, the sound of orcish drums, filled the air.
On the opposite side of the river, Azog emerged, holding one of the two dwarves. He called out the Dwarven king, and then impaled the captured dwarf with his prosthetic.
Thorin was quick to anger, as all dwarves were, and immediately forgot about his plans to retreat. He quickly raced out across the river, intent on avenging his fallen comrade.
His dwarven companion started to follow, as did the hobbit when suddenly, Bolg's vanguard began to arrive. Orcs began to pour over a nearby wall, and Thorin's dwarven companion intercepted them and began to fight.
The hobbit held back, picking up stones and tossing them at the orcs. His accuracy was precise and several orcs were knocked unconscious or even killed by the thrown stones.
Bolg himself quickly ran into the fray, passing by Bilbo and clocking him with the handle of his mace, knocking the hobbit unconscious.
"Ouch." Aegon hummed as he motioned one of the wraiths to retrieve the downed hobbit.
As Aegon turned to return to the ritual chamber, high in the sky, a swarm of cries was heard. From the North a sea of large bats, soared down from the sky, heralding the arrival of Bolg's army. Smaug would not be far off, neither would Bolg's force. Aegon would have to be quick.
He returned to the chamber, as the hobbit was carried in and set just outside of the ritual. The bowman saw this, and his eyes went wide with worry.
"What are you doing?" He demanded, as Sauron knelt next to the hobbit and reached into his pocket.
His hand settled on the Ring, and for a moment, all stilled.
Aegon felt elated as he withdrew his cherished Ring and held it aloft, feeling it connect with him almost immediately.
The sight of the Ring, caused all of the surrounding orcs, save the two holding the bowman, to drop to a knee. The wraiths did so as well.
Aegon stared at his ring, watching as the flaming symbols ignited along the golden band, reciting a twisted inscription.
"One Ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness, bind them." Aegon recited the words with reverence.
He marveled at the One Ring for several long moments, and had to mentally fight himself, to keep from slipping it on his finger.
There was a few adjustments he needed to make, as well as a ritual to perform.
His eyes ignited with hellish flame, as he set the ring in his palm. He held his hand over it, and used his magic to cast a Doubling Charm.
"Geminio" Aegon thought to himself as a perfect copy of the Ring split from it. Aegon took the real one and placed it in his pocket. He then took the copy and gently set it on the ground before the bowman.
With a wave of his hand, the icicles that had been filled with twisted spells, erupted, releasing a black and green miasma that lifted into the air and slowly began to amalgamate at the copy of the One Ring. The spells he had prepared before hand, filled the fake, bestowing it with powers.
One downside of the Doubling Charm was that it didn't fully transfer magical effects to the copy of the object. In some cases it didn't transfer any effect at all, but with certain magics, it would pass on a lesser copy. Copies made with the Doubling Charm, were also quite fragile, and tended to degrade faster than the original. It would take a few hundred years, but this copy would eventually break down. Luckily, Aegon didn't intend for his grand scheme to take that long. Maybe a century at most, though most likely less. He did have to ensure that this copy was durable, and that it could mimic the most basic effect of the One Ring.
This copy had to be able to transfer it's wearer, partially into the wraith world, so the spells that Aegon had prepared before hand, infused into the object, granting it such abilities. But that wasn't all. Aegon also installed a Listening Charm within the copy, tied to the original, which would allow him to hear what was said around it. He also filled it with a powerful Compulsion Charm, one meant to beguile those that looked upon it, and make them covet the Ring. He also had to make sure that when it was touched by energy, such as fire, the inscription would reveal itself, such a measure would be paramount to the trap, as Isildur no doubt wrote of the Ring's capabilities when it fell into his hand, and his enemies no doubt knew of this quality. Finally, he had to convert it into a portkey, set to activate, the moment someone tried to tap into it, with their own magic. If one of the wizards, elves, or even men, tried to wield the power of the Ring, they would instead be transported to Barad-dûr, where his servants and Avatar would be ready and waiting.
Either this copy would unite his enemies into one force that could be easily crushed and swept aside, ensuring an easy conquest of Middle-Earth, or one of his foe's greatest champions would seize the copy, and try to use it's power, ending with them being sent straight into the dragon's jaws.
Either way, it was a benefit for him. The former outcome would mean absolute victory, while the latter, would simply deprive his enemy of one of their finest.
All of these spells would need a power source to keep them from fading, magic didn't disappear on it's own, it often faded due to use. If the hobbit or whoever ended up with the ring, kept putting it on, but never tried to access it's true power, eventually the spells would run out of juice, without something to continue powering them. The copy also needed to give off his terrifying aura. That was the final piece of the trap, that would tie it all together, and ensure success in some form.
That was where the bowman came into play.
As the final spells sunk into the copy, infusing within it's fake metal, Aegon turned his hellish gaze onto the bowman.
"I must thank you, bowman. You have a great honor… by you death, my trap is left complete. Thank you for your contribution, know that it will not be forgotten." Aegon expressed as he drew his sword.
The bowman glared at him, mustering his courage to try and remain defiant.
"Before you die, I wish for you to know something. The fate of your children..." Aegon began, causing the man's eyes to go wide. He quickly began thrashing against the grip of the orcs, trying desperately to free himself.
"They will die, in nightmarish dragon fire. They will hear the mighty dragon's roar, and in their final moments, they will know that their father, was a failure." Aegon said to him, his voice growing demonic as he held his blade forward, pointed at the man's chest.
"No!" The bowman let out a cry, understanding Aegon's words.
"Yes… He comes. Smaug comes for your people. Dale shall burn once more. Dragon fire will swallow the land. All shall burn!" Aegon hissed and before the bowman could let out another word, Aegon thrust his sword into the man's chest, piercing his heart and killing him instantly.
Aegon stepped back from the man, leaving his sword in place as the orcs dropped him.
Aegon gave the man's body a once over before turning to kneel next to the fake ring. He picked it up and held it in his palm. Quietly, he cast one more spell. A dark and twisted spell, one that was once called the most vile form of magic, ever conceived.
The Master of Death felt a small fragment of his soul reach out and latch onto the fake ring. Just enough essence to ensure that any who attempted to peer into the essence of the fake, would feel the Dark Lord's presence, and feel certain that it was the One.
As his soul fragment settled, Aegon stared down at the newly made Horcrux. He eyed it's creation and marveled at his own work. Only someone with an eye for rings would be able to see through the deception. The craftsmanship was a reflection of the One, but that's all it was. Someone like Celebrimbor, would have been able to look upon it and realize that something was wrong.
Beyond that though, only interacting with it, would reveal it's truer nature.
Aegon let out a chuckle as he took the fake and walked back over to the unconscious hobbit.
"You have a part to play, my new little friend. You will carry this fake for a time. But one day, you will see it delivered into the hands of my enemies. When the time is right, it will find its way into the hands of greater people, until then, keep it safe, keep it secret." Aegon thought to himself as he placed the fake ring back in the hobbit's pocket, and ordered that he be returned outside to where he fell.
One of the Nazgûl picked him up and carried him outside, Aegon and the rest followed, leaving the corpse of the bowman to rot in the ruins of Ravenhill.
Outside, Aegon turned his gaze to the frozen river. There, Azog dueled with the Dwarf king Thorin.
"Shall we deal with the dwarf, my lord?" Khamûl asked.
"No. Leave him for Azog. If the pale orc can kill his nemesis, he'll have earned his coveted revenge, and if he fails and dies, than we'll deal with the dwarf ourselves." Aegon answered.
Aegon and his companions watched the duel for several long moments, when the sound of horns blowing, suddenly filled the air. From over the hills to the north, Bolg's army finally arrived.
A black column of Gundabad orcs marched forward, at their front, the wraith that Aegon had sent to inform Bolg's forces to the slight change in plans, led the army.
For a half a moment, Aegon wondered where Bolg had run off too, though his musing were halted when a hellish roar filled the sky.
A devilish smirk spread across Aegon's lips as a shadow passed over Ravenhill and the dwarf king halted his attack and his eyes lifted to the skies, and his mouth fell open.
Letting out another roar, Smaug fell from the heavens, swooping over the ruined fortress. No pretext, nor warning, his first attack saw a gout of fire spill out over the westernmost portion of Dale.
Aegon couldn't help but laugh as Smaug turned to prepare for another pass. In the light of day, Aegon could see that the Dragon had taken his advice and gotten his armor repaired. Over the exposed flesh and missing scale on Smaug's chest, a large iron plate had been nailed into place, it was wide and thick, easily covering the exposed area on the massive dragon's body. No doubt painful to put in place, but now there were no gaps in Smaug's armor. Now nothing short of a dwarven Wind Lance, or a magical bow could hope to pierce the dragon's hide, so long as he remained in the sky.
Aegon heard a loud gasp, just loud enough to break his attention away from Smaug, and back towards the duel between Thorin and Azog. Thorin was now on his knees, Azog's prosthetic piercing through his back and out his chest.
He had used the king's distraction at Smaug's arrival to pierce his defenses and land a killing blow.
Azog let out a monstrous chuckle and shoved Thorin down onto the ice. He pulled his prosthetic blade free and prepared to stab the downed king again when his eyes caught something approaching in the sky. The sight was enough to break him from his blood lust, and actual fear shone in his gaze.
Aegon felt it in his bones, long before he saw or heard them.
"Eagles!" He mentally growled as a swarm of the servants of Manwë fell from the heavens. There was nearly two dozen of them, all but six flew right at Smaug, swarming towards the great dragon but keeping far enough apart that he could only target one with his fiery breath.
Smaug saw them coming and banked hard, turning away from them.
While smaller, the talons and beaks of the Great Eagles could easily cut through the flesh of his chest and belly. The eagles were incredibly agile as well, and Smaug knew that if he allowed them to swarm him, they'd rip him open and tear out his entrails, long before he even hit the ground.
What so many of them were doing here, was a major source of confusion for Aegon. The six that didn't target Smaug, immediately began diving through the hordes of bats, ripping them apart.
A strong light shown out of the west, nearly blinding in it's intensity. The Nazgûl hissed at it, while the orcs that had been with Aegon turned and began to run, even the advancing army of orcs, halted in their advance, the sight of the eagles, and the pure light of the heavens was enough to break them of their zeal, some even broke rank and began to flee.
Aegon glared hatefully at the flight of eagles that chased after Smaug as he vanished high in the sky. Despite being faster than the Great Dragon, none raced forward to try and take him on alone. They planned to hit him together to ensure that their attack was enough to kill him immediately.
Despite his size, if even six of the eagles managed to latch onto him and begin tearing away at his underside, he'd be disemboweled, long before he could manage to shake them off, and he was being chased by three times that number.
"So… the west is stirring. You plan on interfering do you? Fine then… you can have it! I've received a far greater prize." Aegon though to himself.
"Go now, order our forces from Gundabad to return to the Mountain. I will not risk showing my hand at this venture. As valuable as it is, Erebor isn't worth the price to take it." Aegon ordered the Nazgûl at his side. "When that is done, head for Mordor and go through to the other side. It is time you all rejoined me there."
Khamûl was quick to bow, as were the other two. The three immediately set out up the hill to the fourth to inform him of their master's command. Aegon turned his attention away from the soaring eagles and back down to the unconscious hobbit. He let out a soft chuckle as he reminded himself of the trap he had set. The West may have won this battle for the Free Peoples, but he would have the final laugh, in the end, they would all perish, of that much, he was now certain.
Aegon stepped down onto the ice, approaching Azog who was still staring out at the eagles high in the sky.
His son Bolg was approaching, the orc sported injuries, and seemed greatly angered by something.
"Come, both of you. There are further battles to be fought." Aegon commanded as he began to step past the downed dwarven king. A quick glance at his injuries revealed that they were fatal, so Aegon didn't bother to dwell on him for long. His eyes though fell to the dwarf's sword, and he raised an eyebrow and knelt down, taking up the sword and examining it.
It was of keen design and make, a single-edged blade of elven make. The grip of the blade was a large tooth capped in a metal pommel. The spine of the blade was straight, making it good for thrusting despite how wide the blade was. There were runes that ran along the blade, naming it the Tooth of Snake or Dragon. The bluish glow of the blade, along with it's near weightlessness, signified a skilled elvish smith.
Aegon rose with the blade in hand, and started walking. Bolg slowly followed though Azog glared down at Thorin, ready to finish him off.
"Come! His wounds are fatal, your vengeance achieved. Leave him be and let us be away before the eagles turn their attention to us." Aegon commanded, earning a growl from the pale orc, but after a moment he turned and followed.
The three, along with a small cluster of surviving orcs, crossed into the opposite side of Ravenhill and made their way through some of the tunnels. They rounded a corner and came upon an interesting sight, an elf woman, cradling the body of a dead dwarf. She lifted her gaze to them, her face red with tears, and the moment she saw them, she let out a strangled cry, as if realizing something horrible.
Bolg quickly rushed forward, ripping her off the ground and holding her by the throat.
He shouted in the Black Speech, demanding to know where the 'other' elf had run off to after the Dragon showed up.
Aegon stared down at the dead dwarf for a moment, than at the elven woman. After a second a smile touched at his lips and he stepped up behind the orc, taking his arm and commanding him to release the elf.
"Do not harm her any further. This one I think would make an excellent gift." Aegon stated, putting just enough pressure on Bolg's arm to cause him to release the elf who immediately collapsed to the ground, exhausted and thoroughly put through the ringer.
Aegon knelt next to her, her eyes staring off into the open space. Whatever realization she must have had, seemed to have broken her. If Aegon had to guess, given Bolg's question, she probably thought he had killed whoever this 'other' elf was. Or maybe she understood the Black Speech, and simply was too exhausted to put up anymore of a fight. Either way, Aegon couldn't help but smile as he considered what he was going to do with her.
It had been a long time since Lilith had, had an elf to play with. She would definitely enjoy having one to torment and ravage.
"Both of you… join up with our forces from Gundabad, and make for Moria. With the Balrog gone from there, the Dwarves will one day soon attempt to take it back. It may not be for many years, with what they lost here today, but they are stubborn creatures. Fortify the mines and begin preparing for that day. I will send my agents to help maintain contact. You've both done well in serving me, and I will see you greatly rewarded for it." Aegon commanded to the two orcs. Both stared down at him and offered nods and bows before quickly racing off.
Aegon continued to stare at the elf for several long moments before reaching out with his mind, attempting to locate Smaug.
"Mighty Smaug, can you hear me?"
"Yes." The dragon replied, sounding irate and thoroughly infuriated.
"The arrival of the Eagles was unforeseen, we will have to wait on our vengeance. Head for Mordor, to my fortress as Barad-dûr. There you will meet an emissary of mine, he will show you how to reach our beloved master. Return to us there, and join in future glories." Aegon informed the dragons.
"Very well. I will look upon her glory, and show her the might of Smaug, the magnificent!" The dragon responded, earning a chuckle from Aegon.
Slowly he reached out, placing his hand on the elf woman's shoulder. He could feel someone approach, so he quickly took to the skies, carrying her catatonic form with him.
He began to race away from the Mountain, returning to Mordor. Today had been a long day, but he had great and unexpected boons to show for it.
An elf maiden to offer as a plaything, the Arkenstone, a jewel of special magnificence, and his Ring. As Aegon flew through the air, he allowed himself to feel the Ring within his pocket. Upon his return to Mordor, he would make a few adjustments to the Ring itself. He would have to temporarily bind it's connection to the Three Elven Rings, so that when he put on the One, the three who carried the Elven Rings, would not feel him do so. He may lose the ability to influence those ring-bearers for the moment, but it would be worth it to keep them in the dark for a bit longer. He also needed to find out who held the last of the three. Gandalf had one, Galadriel another. Logic would indicate that either Celeborn, or Elrond held the last. During the battle at Dol Guldur, Aegon's Avatar had been focused on Glorfindel rather than Elrond Half-elven, and thus didn't notice if he had the last of the three or not. All he knew for certain was that Glorfindel wasn't wearing it, so that left only a few suspects.
Until Aegon could collect the three Elven rings and corrupt them, it would simply be best to temporarily block their tie to the One Ring, so that when he finally put it on, they'd be left in the dark.
With the return of his Ring, Aegon felt that their victory in Middle-Earth was all but assured. He was more than happy to allow the Free Peoples, this victory. The Lonely Mountain was nothing in comparison to the whole world. He would return one day, and take it, for now though, the servants of Manwë had outplayed him, and he suspected this was a direct result of the Valars interference in Essos. The West was stirring, and that meant that soon, it would be time for Lilith to reveal herself.
For now though, it was a time to celebrate. He had his ring back, and a few gifts to return to his beloved. The future was looking quite bright from Aegon's point of view… no doubt he would enjoy the days to come. Middle-Earth's days were numbered, they just didn't know it yet. All that was left was to draw their heads firmly under the guillotine and watch it fall.
It was a beautiful image, of that he was certain.
-To Be Continued-
Alright, this chapter was a monster. Hope you all enjoyed my little take on the Battle of the Five Armies. Any questions or comments, do please let me know, I'll always answer what I can. Hopefully now that we've got this whole part out of the way we can focus a bit more from Lilith's point of view. Hope your all ready for it. Till later.
Reply time!:
Seraphina Nova Black: Lilith is, and has always been the more powerful of the two, as I explained above, and as is noted in the story. She's the freak of nature with a lot of power. While she had intelligence and skill, she doesn't rely on them as Aegon was forces to as Harry Potter during their first life when she was also way more powerful than him. So while they are both strong, they are strong in their own way, and I apologize for having Lilith sidelines recently, but I was building towards this chapter for a while, and now that it's here I can finally drift more towards Lilith's POV.
Mari Wollsch: I hope you enjoy! :)
1: Here's your update, hope it was worth the wait.
BlueDensity: Fair Points all around, though I have mostly stuck with Aegon's perspective recently as it pertains to building up towards these events, as I follow a specific timeline. You may have noticed that I've been following the Hobbit Timeline and because of the nature of keeping out of sight for the moment, Lilith doesn't have much to do. Westoros itself is a trick, they could easily wash over it, if they wanted to but they're keeping it intact at the moment, and the arrival of Rómestámo, it something that is also keeping Lilith's influence down a bit, as they don't want the Valar to know she's back, so everything being in Jon's name is meant to aid that keeping hidden. You are right, she is one of the gods, and she is overly prideful, but deception and trickery are tools that she's fond of, and hiding in plain sight while her enemy focus on Aegon is just building the anticipation for her ultimate reveal. Believe me, she wants to show herself, but she only gets to do it once, and the moment she does it, she basically triggers the apocalypse in Arda so she has to time it right. Remember one huge difference between Morgoth and Lilith, Morgoth wanted to destroy all of Eru's and the Valar's work, out of spite, Lilith want's to kill Eru, and the Valar. She can't just go on as Morgoth did, showing up and wrecking things, she had to plot out a way to kill her intended targets, and the best way to do that is ensure they don't see her coming. Anyway, if you still read, I hope this makes sense, and as I noted above, following Aegon has been an intentional set-up to get to here, but now that this chapter is done with, I can start to focus on following Lilith more since the story will open up for a while without Hobbit Material to follow.
ValteriaBiggles: The balance of power will always be that Lilith is power and Aegon is control. While Aegon will raise his power, and Lilith will hone her control, at the end of the day, Lilith is a god, while Aegon is an unkillable angel of death. Both are monsters in their own right, and the gap between them will close a bit, but they'll never equal out, one for one, if that makes sense.
koseta.a: :)
Scarlet Nerd: Thanks, hope you enjoy this chapter, took a while to get it done.
Trinity seven: Yeah the Haradrim will be gathered in the following chapters. They most certainly are players in this game after all.
Blacked6666: Thank you!
DirtyCat: Here you go. :)
veil of silence: Thanks, hope you enjoy
Guest: Here it is!
SlyMonster: You're most welcome.
Keylerbrito17: I hope this was worth the wait.
Naruto: Thanks!
Godisme: Yep, don't underestimate Sauron. Yep, we'll be seeing Mordirith in this story, and we'll hear more about Galadriel's injuries in future chapters. Sauron will take on his true name the moment his enemies see through his disguise. So long as they don't know for certain that it's him, the name still hides his identity. Once they know though, then he'll take his true name. I agree, there are many good women that could fit that role. As for Tommen, well we'll just have to see.
38Solaire38: Yep, Smaug's up, yep, it was the company. Thanks and I hope you enjoy.
Let me know if you guys have any other questions, until later.
