Ok, chapter 5. I've decided to get out of my 'Krell' part of my fic, so here is the finale of a short story that has been built up with three chapters (the first one didn't include him).
Of course, I do need help with these things, so any suggestions about what should happen would be appreciated by me a lot. Also, if you want any character (created by you, or even you) in this fic, don't hesitate to ask. I'd be more than glad to put anybody in (I've done it before). Anyway, here's my first effort. R&R please, thanks.
Note: Right. This is a bit embarrassing… I'm afraid that I won't be able to include anyone in this chapter despite me saying so due to the circumstances that the chapter starts (In the middle of a cave surrounded by undead. Not a great place to meet people). But believe me, I will include people at the first available chance.
Dedication: Somebody who's name will not be disclosed.
Greater Evasion
Part V, Do or Die"We were not exactly sure how we stumbled upon the lair of Krell. And to this day I can't fathom out just what Krell could've been capable of. His minions used their powers of undeath to use foul magics, like Rerhear, who destroyed all logic and time for a short time as we fought him in a fight that lasted both three-thousand years and half an hour. But Krell channelled every drop of his magic into his strength and abilities. At the time, it seemed good, but now, I simply can't see how we survived."
From the diary of Anomen Redwood, hobbiton press.
Adolphus Fell found it hard to concentrate. Since birth he had had complete knowledge of what was going on around him, and was aware to every sound. It was an elven trait, something that he wasn't proud of, but a useful trick. However, here, for once in his life, he could not keep his mind focused.
Anomen Redwood also had the same problem. Sweat dripped from his brow. All of a sudden his Warhammer and his Armour was heavy. His Goatee beard itched for the first time in its long history.
Bongo Templewob was petrified, he slowly crumpled to the ground, whimpering.
Drondee Templewob, was rigid, literally paralyzed with what he saw.
Ulli Runecarver gripped his axe and snarled. He suddenly felt a strange tingle all over his body. It was a sensation that he had never felt before. It was fear.
It wasn't really surprising, facing them was one of the greatest allies of the former bearer of the ring. His name was Krell. Imprisoned in this cave for thousands of years, Krell had grown strong in his short undeath. Strong beyond human imaginations. He was almost skeletal, but what little flesh he had was rock-hard muscle. His armour was tattered, his sword and helmet were dulled, but he was the single-greatest creature that walked Middle Earth at the time… and he would be for as long as the Fellowship held the ring. When that happened, Krell would join his master, and Middle Earth would be shrouded in darkness. Forever.
With a roar, Ulli suddenly snapped out of his fear, and rushed towards Krell, axe raised. Krell merely laughed, twitched one armoured finger, and Ulli froze in mid-step. He twitched his finger back again, and the Dwarf flew back and smashed into the wall behind him.
"I admire your strength, mortals, I admire your courage." The undead Lord said, "I will grant you a quick death, but if you wish to continue defying me, then I suggest you watch closely at this demonstration."
He held out his left hand, immediately, one of the skeletons rose from the table and floated two metres in the air.
"This man has been dead for over three millennia," Krell continued, "He has no flesh at all, he has only bone."
Krell clenched his fist. The skeleton started convulsing, its entire body shook, cracking sounds came from its mouth, its head was vibrating more than the rest of its body, with a strange snarl that Krell had never shown before, as he had never shown anger, the skeleton was smashed in the ground with a force that made bones fly everywhere. The turned to the Evaders. His green eyes shone even brighter.
"You see, mortals, you see? That man has been dead for thousands of years. I caused him so much pain he screamed. Yet he has no nerves to feel the main, no flesh to be hurt, no vocal chords to scream with AND YET HE FELT PAIN, HE MANAGED TO SCREAM, THE PAIN WAS THAT INTENSE THAT IT BROKE ALL LAWS OF NATURE! DO YOU WANT TO SUFFER THAT? DO YOU?"
"No…" Drondee squeaked. Ulli glared at him.
"You cannot survive, there is no way possible."
"Prepare to be sent back to the pit!" Ulli roared and ran towards him.
"Very well Dwarf, I will humour you."
Ulli slammed his axe downwards. Effortlessly, Krell parried, then, faster than the eye could follow, he hooked his sword under the Dwarf's axe. He lifted Ulli into the air and held him near to his face.
"I am not hear to play games, dwarf. I have had enough. Prepare to die."
He let go of Ulli. But the dwarf still floated in the air. Krell began to clench his fists, a look of extreme hatred on his face. Drondee saw Ulli's skin ripple. He closed his eyes and tried to block his ears as loud screaming filled the air.
"Die, demon!" Anomen yelled and ran towards Krell. Krell's head turned around. Anomen lashed out, tearing off a scrap of metal off his splint-mail armour. Krell smiled, and picked the warrior up by his head. Anomen struggled to get the hand off him, but Krell's strength was immense. Anomen watched in horror as his hammer floated out of his hand and started smashing his in the side. Unearthly laughter echoed around the room as Anomen was being slowly battered to death by the weapon that at times, he considered his best friend.
Fell's blade was whipped out. The half-elf sprinted towards Krell. Krell dropped Anomen and Ulli and looked at Fell.
"Let me show you something." He said, "Just to show you that I really don't need my army." Fell stopped. Krell laughed. He swung his two meter-long sword around. It struck a nearby pillar. The meter-think piece of stone crumbled into rubble. With a nod of his head at the crumbled stone, it started to move. Stones linked together with bursts of purple light. Within seconds, a shape rose out of the rubble. A man. His skin was entirely made out of stone. It growled and froze. With another nod of Krell's head, it started moving forwards.
"There are too many of you for me to kill at the same time." Krell continued, "This minion should help me."
The stone man shambled over to Adolphus fell. The fighter raised his sword. He struck out. He gasped in shock as it rebounded off its rocky hide. The thing stomped forwards, grabbed Fell, and pulled him into a large bear-hug. Drondee could hear ribs snap. He whimpered. All was lost. Krell's strength was too great. He heard the screams off the three most capable fighters of he had ever known.
Suddenly, they heard footsteps. Scrapey footsteps. Something emerged out of the gloom. It was tiny compared to Krell and the rock-man. It was skeletal. In one arm it clutched a small stringed instrument, in the other, a longsword. Half of its rib-cage was missing. Drondee recognised it instantly – the remains of Faust, the destroyer.
Krell stopped. Once again Anomen and Ulli crumpled to the ground. The rock-man stopped automatically. Krell turned towards Faust.
"Faust. You walk again."
"Yes." Faust replied, "I walk again in my bones. And now with my mind. Stop this Krell. Stop now or die."
Krell laughed, "No, Faust, no. Now you die." Krell twitched a finger, and a chair at the table rose. With another nod, it hurtled towards Faust. At the last moment, the skeleton burst to pieces. Krell snarled.
"Faust? Show yourself!"
There was a large sucking sound and the rock-man burst into life once more. It dropped Adolphus Fell, and moved towards Krell. As it moved, it managed to speak in Faust's voice.
"Undeath had provided me a gift as well. Don't think that I am weak. I can posses almost every body."
The rock-man (who Drondee thought was being controlled by Faust) punched out at Krell. The undead Lord let it land the punch, laughed at the pitiful results, and lashed out, sending the rock-man back into its crumbled state. Now where it stood, stood Faust's ghost, they had seen it once before.
"Krell, you cannot win." Faust said.
Krell roared with anger and sliced out. The ghost of Faust rippled, Drondee heard his cry of pain.
"Fine… fine…" The ghost gasped, "Krell, you leave me no choice." With that, Faust dived into Krell's mouth. Krell suddenly stopped, then started bellowing, he ran around, breaking every single thing there was. The table was destroyed into tiny splinters. Rerhear's armour was crushed. It was like a struggle was happening inside Krell, not around him. Finally, Faust emerged, dragging with him a black ghost. He had clawed hands, and was wailing. It was Krell, all those thousands of years ago. It was Krell's soul and magic. The body suddenly stopped. The two ghosts fought above it. Krell was stronger, but Faust fought with the skill of a true warrior.
"Evaders!" Faust cried, "Listen! Destroy his body! He's still inside it, but the thing I'm fighting is his raw power. He's mortal now. Destroy him for the last time!"
Ulli, who was lying on the ground , managed to get up, propped up on his axe. Anomen still lay on the ground, blood seeping out of his side. Fell was clutching his chest, moaning.
"NOW YOU DIE!" Ulli boomed. His axe buried itself in Krell's side. The creature let out a roar of pain. It punched Ulli with its spiked, gauntleted fist. Ulli bled from dozens of cuts but the dwarf kept going. Not sure why the were doing it, Bongo and Drondee rushed in and managed to wedge their blades between Krell's armour. Krell bellowed, steam pouring out of his mouth. But still he fought on. Drondee quickly picked up Fell's sword, it was heavy but the hobbit lodged it inside Krell's chest. Ulli wrenched his axe free and hacked off the undead's sword arm. Still the ghostly fight raged above them. Krell picked up Ulli with his good arm and threw him against the wall with more force than his magic had done. Panicking, Bongo tried to pick up Anomen's warhammer. The thing was immensely heavy but the hobbit raised it above his head. With a squeak, he threw in downwards, smashing Krell in the leg. Krell wildly lashed out, taking the hobbit in the stomach and throwing him five metres into the air. He landed on his back. Drondee groaned. He stood alone. He wrenched out his blade and looked at Krell head on. This was it. Middle Earth was relying on him. Failure was not an option. It was Do or Die.
He ran around Krell, jamming his blade into him at every available opportunity. Krell didn't stop. He pulled out Fell's blade. Krell roared with pain. The sword was heavy but Drondee could wield it. With one final burst of energy, he jumped up and slashed across Krell's chest. The sword created a gash much larger than any Krell had had before. With a roar, Krell Fell to his knees. Black blood dripping, Krell tried to get up.
"Quickly!" Faust shouted, "Banish Krell from this world!"
Drondee ran up to Krell. He almost felt pity as he slashed him in the head again and again. Blood flew everywhere, Krell's helmet was wrenched off leaving a face that wore a mask of hatred, Krell's eyes dulled. With a final show of defiance, the undead Lord got up. Drondee drove the blade into his heart. Krell stared at him for a few seconds.
"Wha? What… The great Lord Krell… defeated… by a hobbit?" And with that, he crashed to the ground. He heard a scream above them. Krell's magic power had faded away, leaving Faust, who seemed to be flickering horribly.
"CURSE YOU EVADERS!" Krell's voice sounded around the room. "COURSE YOU, ADOLPHUS FELL! CURSE YOU, ULLI RUNECARVER! CURSE YOU, ANOMEN REDWOOD, CURSE YOU, BONGO TEMPLEWOB! CURSE YOU, DRONDEE TEMPLEWOB!" There was a long pause…
"CURSE YOU, FAUST!"
Anomen crawled to his feet. Ulli got up as well. Still clutching his chest, Fell walked over to Krell. Faust floated down to Krell. With his sword, he etched a large white Dwarven rune in the stone next to the defeated creature. The rune read 'Andar' – the prison. The Andar rune turned into a vortex. Faust drove his ghostly sword into the ground, the power created by the weapon drove Krell into the vortex. Suddenly the vortex disappeared. There was silence.
"May the fates hold you back, evil one." Faust spoke. He turned to the evaders.
"Evaders." The ghost said, "The world owes you a debt that it can never repay. Billions of unknowing people owe you their lives. Thank you. It is time for me to lay myself to rest now. Perhaps not for the last time. Krell's accursed spirit will live on for all eternity. If he arises again, I will be ready. I must leave now. I must find my resting place. Goodbye, and thank you."
And with that, Faust's bones re-animated, and the ghost flew into them. Faust's skeleton slowly picked up its sword and instrument and walked out of the room, searching for his grave. Ulli bowed his head in respect as the skeleton walked past him.
* * * *
An hour later the evaders were on the move again. Fell's chest had been bandaged up. He and Ulli carried Anomen. Bongo and Drondee led the way. Occasionally they passed lifeless skeletons, doubtless killed by Krell's death. Another hour on, the entire group stopped. They had seen something. Something glittering. It came from one of the rooms off to the side. It was flanked by two skeletal warriors in black armour not unlike Rerhear's, even in death, they gripped their halberds. Whatever was in the room, it was valuable to be have been guarded by the elite undead. The Evaders walked in and gasped in shock.
At the back of the room sat a large sarcophagus. Another two black-armoured skeletons stood lifelessly by it. It was massive, made of obsidian and had more runes carved into it.
"Orot Faust Orot hir, Ander Krell horte. In your words, that would mean, 'The Destroyer, the great evil, may this be forever Krell's prison – It looks like we've stumbled upon his resting place." Ulli said grimly.
Behind the sarcophagus, stood another skeleton, it was larger that the others, it held a scythe and had four arms. Drondee knew this – it was a mutation that often happened to insanely evil men. This was the skeleton of a Thassaloss – A man that was granted two extra arms and immense strength. To many it was a blessing, but to some, having their body structure changed, as well as two arms shooting upwards through their skin gave them a life of agony. The skeleton of a Thassaloss would've been the ideal final obstacle for any willing to destroy the remains of Krell. However, now it was useless. Krell's death had killed off every one of his undead minions. The hobbit walked up to the mutated skeleton. Even in death, it appeared to grin back at him. He walked colder to it and stepped on something. He jumped up and cried out in shock. Hidden by the sarcophagus was another body, judging by the dark, bleached bones it had, it was just one hundred years dead. It had on it silvery armour and one of the finest swords that Drondee had ever seen. It was not much larger than his own, but was fashioned in such an expert way that it didn't matter. It was smooth elven metal, with small pictures of dragons all the way up the hilt of the weapon. In its other clenched fist the skeleton held a scrap of paper. Drondee gingerly picked it up and opened it, he fought down the urge to wretch as it was hastily written with a quill pen, but in a crackly, reddish-brown substance – the dried remains of blood. Shuddering, he read it out aloud.
"Friend, my quest to destroy the evil one has failed. The Thassaloss guardian has left me for dead. Whoever you are, I implore you to eliminate Krell, you may take my sword to aid you. Inside my pack you will find the orb of dragonkind, use it on any large creatures you may encounter. Around my neck lies the talisman of Loth. You will know what to do when you get it. Good luck, I hope th"
Drondee stopped. The massage trailed off. Drondee shivered. This man had died of blood loss. The Thassaloss saw no point in wasting energy giving him a quick death. There was no ink, so the Paladin warrior had used his own blood. Nearby the body there lay a smallish stick which may once have been a quill feather. Ulli bowed his head again. Fell stepped forward, and, still clutching his chest in one hand, searched his tattered bag with another. He pulled out something and grinned.
It looked like a large golden egg. Drondee wasn't sure exactly how it fought large monsters, but it defiantly looked nice. Quivering, he pulled a chain the was around the man's neck, he could see a talisman poking out of the top. When he pulled the whole thing out, something happened.
A massive beam of light burst out, it illuminated the entire room, the Evaders shielded their eyes to avoid themselves going blind, this was light that was brighter than anything that they had ever seen before. He quickly draped it over his neck and under his shirt. Now they realised what caused the glittering in the room. He grabbed the sword. They could now see a door at the end of the room, lit up by the glow from the muted talisman. Ulli walked up to the door, kicking the Thassaloss skeleton over as he went past it. The thing clattered to the floor. The Dwarf undid the latch on the door, and stepped through.
It was like seeing heaven. They all stepped out to find that it was the outside wilderness, snow blew around, and it was icily cold, but they were alive. In his agonised state, Anomen managed a wry smile. They were alive.
END OF PART VAh well, so ends that part of my fic, it will continue, but no more undead for a while. Thanks for reading.