Chapter 29: A storm of wrath

The mountain was being evacuated, the smoke and fumes were rising and increasing in denseness and volume. The females and children were ushered to the hidden caves and the warriors were busy making sure that no orcs somehow managed to escape the inferno they themselves had created. Pallando was glowing, his eyes like forges, filled with a wrath few had ever experienced the likeness of. Maglor was a bit nervous, he had no idea of what the maia would do now, but he was aware of the fact that Alatar probably could sense that his adversary had recovered. Rog was more relaxed but he too was eager, they needed to find Alatar and do it fast, before he had time to get too far away from the mountain.

The dwarves were efficient, they didn't need much time to empty the entire city and Bestur was a bit proud of them, the discipline of the warriors was amazing and the civilians were used to obedience. They brought only what they had to in order to survive outside and Bestur was rather certain that the fire would do little damage to the city itself. There were solid layers of granite between the now smouldering coal fires and the tunnels they had dug but then there were the air canals and the smaller natural passages. They were a problem, and Bestur sent inn some dwarves who were experts at determining whether or not the rock could be regarded as safe or not.

It took some hours before they returned, and the atmosphere was tense. The dwarves were worried that they would have to leave this city completely and that would be too bad. The experts all wore a special type of suit which protected against heat and some type of mask which was meant to filter out smoke, they seemed okay when they returned but they were tired. The leader was a very short one, extremely squat and Maglor had to think of a cube when he saw the dwarf, he wore his hair shorn very short but the beard was magnificent, gathered into hundreds of tiny braids, all decorated with shiny beads.

"My king, the city is safe, except the northernmost quadrant, the coal fires are weakening the foundations there and the layers of good rock are too thin."

Bestur scratched his beard and he didn't look too happy at all. "Very well, can anything be done?"

The expert frowned. "We could try to put out the fire, but I fear we don't have enough water. The cisterns at the top here aren't full, and the fire is deep, very deep. We can feel it, it is like a hungry dragon. It may burn for centuries"

The king made a grimace. "That cannot be allowed, the fumes are dangerous and we cannot close off every little crack and crevice, any suggestions?"

The other dwarves there looked at each other, they seemed a bit ill at ease and Bestur glared at the leader of the dwarves responsible for the construction of tunnels. "Anything to add Freydar?"

The dwarf looked down, spinning a lock of his long reddish hair around a finger. "There is one thing…"

Bestur crossed his arms across his chest, he looked rather demanding there and then. "Yes?"

Freydar took a deep breath of air. "The old technique my king, what our ancestors used, but nobody has done that for centuries. I am not even sure anybody knows how to do it anymore"

The two elves saw that many of the dwarves stared at them, with obvious uncertainty in their gaze and Bestur growled. "Let it rest, these are our friends, worry not, they won't tell a soul"

One of the dwarves stepped forth. "There is one dwarf here who knows it, and has done it. But she is old my lords, very old, and her voice isn't that strong"

Bestur sighed. "I was afraid so"

Maglor dared to speak, he was very curious. "Exactly what are you talking about?"

The dwarf sent him a polite smile. "An ancient art, almost forgotten by our people. Our ancestors could feel the very song of creation within their veins and used it, to form and calm the stones, to coax them into doing their bidding."

Rog frowned. "That sounds absolutely stunning, they sang their cities into existence?"

Bestur nodded, he looked proud, and a bit smug. "Yes, and it was our women who had this skill."

Maglor took a deep breath. "So if there were anybody here capable of doing this she would be able to stop the fire?"

Bestur shook his head. "Not stop it, just hinder it from reaching the city, closing it off. Stopping it would be impossible, it is in itself a force of nature"

Freydar swallowed visibly. "The one who still knows the art, should I go and fetch her?"

The king nodded and Maglor felt someone tugging at his sleeve. It was Fjalir and he blinked and looked exited. "You are a singer are you not? Maybe you can help her?"

Maglor scoffed. "I do not know this art, and I have no idea of how to help her"

Pallando had been silent, still brooding and glowing with rage, now he smiled, it was a rather devious smile. "I may be of assistance then, I can make a connection mind to mind"

Maglor didn't look as if he enjoyed the idea very much, Rog was silently snickering. "I do not think it is a good idea"

The red haired dwarf had exited the cave and he was gone for some time, when he returned he was supporting a dwarrow dam with the help of two others. She was ancient, so old her hair was almost gone and her eyes were milky white, she shivered and looked as if a small gust of wind could carry her off. Bestur sighed but smiled. "Old one, you know how to sing to the rocks?"

She nodded and smiled, her mouth was without even a single tooth and even though she obviously heard the king her voice was barely audible. "I knew it, yes. "

Bestur bit his lower lip. "Could you be able to do it again?"

She shook her head with a laughter, the tiny body was shaking with it. "Sing? I am beyond that art my king, my voice is gone"

The maia stepped forth and his voice was booming. "But others here know how to sing, and I wish to help you, to show my gratitude. "

She tilted her head. "I cannot teach it, it cannot be taught"

Pallando smiled. "I know, but I can show Maglor, through you"

Some of the dwarves murmured and didn't seem to happy but Bestur glared at them. "It is a matter of us losing our city, or accepting that our secret is known by others, others we do trust."

The old dwarrow dam hesitated a bit, then she nodded. "I need to be able to touch the bedrock, the foundation of the mountain"

They looked at each other, Bestur nodded. "Good, I know of a place. Find a chair to carry her in, we need to make haste"

Maglor still didn't feel quite up to the task, he wasn't a singer of songs of power like Finrod, he hadn't really tapped into that ability. Maybe that was to change now.

They followed the dwarves outside, the smoke still rose from the top of the mountain and the ground was in fact shaking every now and then. It could be seen from afar, if people believed that this was a volcano it would perhaps keep them away even better than before. The dwarves stopped in a cave further down the mountain side, it was rather narrow and dark and the bedrock was visible at the back of it. The old dwarf got out of the chair and walked over, very carefully. She put her hands on the rock and closed her eyes. "Yes, I can feel it, but I am not strong enough to sing to it"

Pallando nodded and gestured for Maglor to come forth. "But others are, relax and close your eyes, think of the song, of what you would do if you were young and strong"

She obeyed and Pallando put a hand on her shoulder, then he reached out and placed his other hand on Maglor. "You do the same thing, relax. And let it happen"

Maglor closed his eyes, he felt odd all of a sudden, as if he stood next to a hearth and he started feeling very dizzy. Then it came, a melody, wordless and enchanting and strange, like nothing he had ever heard before. It sang to him and he couldn't resist it. He joined in the haunting tune and it became like a leading light through a dark void, he followed it, added to it, made it strong and beautiful.

The song rose in power, joined the rock and the stones and mountain obeyed, he felt the very core of the mountain, felt the fire which was soaring and clawing at its innards, pushed it back with more layers of solid granite, with crystals and dark obsidian. Maglor didn't see it but he was glowing now, as was Pallando and the cave was shaking. He could feel it all, every little detail of the city, the tunnels, the halls, the tiny storages. He sang to it all, reinforced it and closed the city off from the bottom of the mountain forever. He led the river into new tunnels though, so they had water and he created wells so they didn't have to walk far to get it. He wasn't even aware of it but his every thought was obeyed, and the smoke funnelled away from the city itself. Some of the flames he allowed to slip through though, into the forges where they would ensure that the fire never died down and the heat was preserved for the dwarves to exploit. The ideas just flowed into his mind, without being drawn forth in any manner, they just came and he acted upon them.

The song lasted for quite a while and in the end it died down slowly, and Maglor woke up and found that he was soaking with sweat and feeling weak and shaking like a new born colt. Pallando smiled, the old dwarrow dam was obviously shaken but she seemed okay and the dwarves were cheering as they carried her off. Pallando tilted his head. "They have their city back, better than before. But now we have someone to find, and punish"

Rog frowned. "Are you sure you are strong enough?"

Pallando just growled. "Oh I am, I am angry and I feel as though I have tapped into a part of my powers I haven't touched before. I think Alatar ought to be careful now, he has broken every rule and he has betrayed the trust of our masters too, that cannot be accepted. "

Rog tilted his head. "So, who was he sworn to serve?"

The maia almost spat. "Yavanna, you guessed right when you assumed that he had learned about herbs and such from his master. "

Maglor rubbed his forehead, he felt a bit strange still. "That shouldn't really make him easy to corrupt? Yavanna isn't an aggressive vala"

Pallando stared at the elf, eyes narrow. "No? Have you seen what her ents were capable of doing? Plants can be vicious, and Alatar is really capable of anything. He is most certainly a servant Sauron would have wanted from the very beginning, the ability to affect living things is after all way better than just affecting dead stuff. "

The dwarves were still rather excited and Pallando walked forth, he stared at the peak of the mountain. "Alatar must have seen this, and he must know that the orcs aren't coming back. "

Rog had a sardonic grimace on his face. "He will wonder why, what killed them. And he will still yearn for that gem"

Pallando nodded. "Where is it by the way?"

Rog grinned widely. "Probably far down by now, the monster which is carrying it doesn't like flames I bet, and it must have escaped to the very bowels of the mountain"

Pallando frowned, "If you go deep enough it will become very hot. But we can hope that he won't send more troops down there, or maybe that would be a good thing. They cannot get up to the city and the dangers down there may kill off some orcs"

Pallando just grunted and he walked forth, following the barely visible paths. "Get your stuff, we are leaving here and now. We have to find him and do it fast"

Maglor bit his teeth together. "Do you know where he is?"

Pallando shrugged. "No, he has shielded himself but I can sense the direction and he isn't near the mountain anymore, too afraid it will blow up I guess"

Rog grinned widely. "That makes sense, but he cannot have given up, I bet he is too afraid to disappoint Sauron to do that"

Pallando grinned back, it didn't look very pretty at all. "I am rather sure of that yes, and I count on it. So he won't go too far"

Maglor tilted his head. "Is there any place here he may seek refuge?"

Fjalir came scurrying with a few other dwarves, they carried the things the elves had brought with them and Rog asked the strange dwarf what he thought. "There is one place I would use if I was a dark wizard trying to hide my ass from everybody!"

He turned and pointed, there was another mountain in the distance, it was more of a cliff really and rather narrow and tall with a spiky appearance. "There, the needle of the weaver"

Rog stared at the dwarf. "Really? That is an odd name?"

Fjalir grunted. "Yeah, but it is well chosen. The mountain is hollow you see, nobody knows why it is that way but it is one vast hall, very tall too"

Maglor frowned. "And what has that to do with weaving?"

Fjalir drew figures in the sand with his foot. "Uhm spiders?"

Rog reared back. "Oh fuck me…spiders? I hate spiders"

Maglor shuddered. "Who doesn't? But what are they eating then?"

Fjalir sighed. "Everything? They say some ancient spirit lives in there, it is controlling the nasties, and it is very wicked"

Rog stared at Maglor. "Brilliant, another twisted maia for sure"

Pallando looked as if he had tasted something very bad. "Yuck, not a pleasant thought no, but if he is there he has to be strong enough to subdue her, somehow. We have to be sure though, that he is there"

Fjalir looked down. "Ah, I may be able to help you, I can get there, without going there if you see what I mean?"

Pallando looked puzzled, raising an eyebrow. "Really? That is amazing, if I tried to do that he would notice me right away, but the fëa of a dwarf is not very powerful, nor noticeable."

Fjalir lifted his chin, looking important. "I can do it now, I just need to get back inside and lay down, in a dark room"

The other dwarves looked a bit shocked and Freydar shook his head. "I wouldn't recommend you doing that yet, there is still much smoke. We can erect a tent?"

Fjalir made a gesture. "Right, just do it, I just need peace and quiet after all"

The others scurried off and returned with a tent they erected rather fast, they also brought a mattress and some blankets and Fjalir looked very content as he laid down and pulled the blankets over him. "Good, now, outside. I need to be alone to do this"

Pallando sighed and petted him on the shoulder. "Be careful, if your presence is noticed they may harm you, Alatar is powerful, all you need to do is to make sure that this is where he is"

Fjalir grinned. "I bet he is there, it is the only place within these mountains which fits someone like him, and the orcs doesn't like sunlight now do they. The other caves within these mountains aren't deep enough."

He found a good position and closed his eyes, the others exited the tent and Rog stared at Maglor, his eyes were narrow. "We will need some serious weapons if there are spiders there, they are hard to kill"

Maglor shrugged. "Just how big can they really get then?"

Pallando scoffed. "Ungoliant has bred a lot and bred well, I bet they are nothing like ordinary spiders if there are spiders there. I would guess they are the size of large dogs to the size of a horse"

Rog spat." That shouldn't be possible, their legs would snap under their own weight"

Pallando smirked. "Yes, but we are talking about dark magic here, not nature"

Maglor was feeling his skin crawl, he had never been afraid of spiders but he didn't like them, it could possibly be because of the lovely day back in Tirion when Celegorm in a fit of mischief dropped a huge wolf spider onto his head when he was reading in the garden, the spider got stuck in his hair and his mother had been yelling at Celegorm for hours, or so it seemed.

Fjalir was well used to this, he had done it many times but he had never strayed outside of the mountain. The feeling was rather strange but he could move extremely fast this way and he was beside the tall cliff within the blink of an eye. This was great, he considered going all over the world afterwards, to see stuff no dwarf had ever experienced. The cliff was made from sandstone, and it was rust coloured and rather imposing, extremely smooth and needle like and he wondered if it was natural or is some sort of spirit may have shaped it, back when the world was sung into being.

He moved through the rock, as a mere spirit that was no problem and he entered the huge open space within the needle. There was a single opening up there, no larger than a foot across and it was so far up the light could be seen as a tiny point within the darkness, like a weak star on a dark night. A single shaft of light fell from it, pencil thin and it hit stuff on its way down. Fjalir would have screamed if he had owned a voice in this shape. It was simply impossible, and yet it was real. It was webs, spider webs and the threads were thicker than his waist. He slid further, using his senses to see what was going on and the conclusion was a nightmare.

What he saw wasn't really spiders, they resembled camel spiders but with stingers at the back, as if a camel spider and a scorpion had somehow mated. And they were huge, and everywhere. But where were Alatar and his orcs and balrogs?

He slid further, the spider monsters didn't really see him and he felt rather safe in spite of it all. Then he saw light, an orb of it, and within it were movement. He felt power, immense power and he also sensed confusion, and shock. It was Alatar, he had entered through the only tunnel leading in there and he was surrounded by several large orcs and some balrogs. They all looked rather confused and there were spiders everywhere, trying to get to them but the orb of light kept the monsters at bay. Fjalir would have grinned if he had a body, Alatar had truly tried to take on something way beyond even his powers this time. But there was a presence there, a sort of feeling of being watched and Fjalir was perhaps brave but he wasn't stupid, he slid out through the walls again and hurried back to his body. Whatever it was that resided within that mountain, it wasn't anything he wanted to face, ever! The spider beasts were bad enough, if they had a master he had a strong suspicion it was something so nasty nobody would be able to even imagine it.

He sat up with a shout and the tent was opened, Rog and Maglor entered with Pallando and Fjalir gasped for air a few times. He wanted to grin but found that he couldn't. "Ah guys, he is there, within the needle. And he is in trouble I think, I am rather sure that most of his orcs are gone, I couldn't see them and there were just a few large ones left, and some balrogs."

Rog frowned. "Any spiders?"

Fjalir scoffed. "Any spiders?! What else than spiders, thousands of them, huge nasty critters, like a half spider half scorpion. Alatar was barely capable of keeping them at bay"

Pallando looked as if he was thinking hard. "And the mountain is dark I bet? No light?"

Fjalir nodded. "Yes? It is pitch black, with just one small hole at the top."

Pallando smiled, a slow and very nasty smile. "When an animal choses its den it is never without reason, the monsters there doesn't like light, if they did they wouldn't stay in there. So what if that tiny hole grew?"

Fjalir stared at him. "They would panic, and try to get away from it?"

Pallando tilted his head. "I once overheard my master Tulkas discuss strategy with one of the other maiar there, he said that the best way to win a battle is to make the enemy conquer himself before you go in for the death blow. So that is exactly what we are to do"

He turned to Maglor. "The balrogs has to go, there is no way around it. They are too dangerous, but if we make them fight it will weaken them, they are energy beings and I bet Alatar will sacrifice them willingly if he has to"

Fjalir cleared his voice. "There was something in there, something else than spiders, I couldn't figure out what it was though. It felt…strange"

Pallando smiled. "I will deal with that"

He put a hand on Maglor. "You learned from that old dwarf. You are to sing to the stones, to seal the entrance to the needle, and then open the hole at the top. Slowly."

Rog chuckled. "That is wonderful"

Pallando made a grimace. "It is rather typical of him to seek refuge in such a place, I bet he felt the presence there and thought it was something he could exploit, or gain as an ally."

Maglor sighed. "It is a good idea I guess, but how are we to make sure that they don't escape through the roof?"

Pallando grinned. "The spiders will see to that. Do not worry, it will be grand. Get your horses, we will ride hard and I will make sure we get there fast"

Fjalir tilted his head. "I am going with you"

Maglor raised an eyebrow. "It will be dangerous"

Fjalir scoffed. "Of course it will, but I can help you, and I want to see the world. Besides, I can act as a spy nobody will notice"

Rog looked at him. "We cannot guarantee that you will return to your people"

Fjalir shrugged. "I know, but I have lived here my entire life, I am tired of being regarded as some sort of oddity. Out there I can do some good right? And I am curious, it has always bugged me that I haven't seen much of the world"

Pallando nodded. "Let him follow us, it cannot do any harm"

He turned around and Rog and Maglor just shrugged, they didn't want to argue with the maia. They got their horses and their belongings and the maia mounted one of the pack horses, he pulled Fjalir up onto the animal right in front of him. "We stop for nobody"

Bestur and the other dwarves were waving them goodbye and Maglor realized pretty fast that Pallando was doing something for they moved much faster than normal, the horses were running as if there was a race track in front of them, not a ragged mountain path. They moved through the canyons with ease and when the night fell they camped by a small oasis. The night was pitch black and Fjalir went out again, to see that Alatar was still in the needle. He was, the dome of light around him was still strong and he was confident, convinced that the power within that cliff could be made to serve him and Sauron somehow. He hadn't come any further yet, but he was stubborn and refused to give inn. The dark crystal was lost deep within the mountain and he couldn't send his orcs back to retrieve it, they wouldn't accept that considering what had happened. Beside, the fire was simply too strong and hot, the balrogs were not willing to go in there for they saw it as below their dignity and even if they were spirits of flame the idea of entering the burning coal wasn't tempting. They feared that the flames would feed also from their strength and nothing he said made them change their minds.

Fjalir told of his findings to Pallando who bared his teeth, the eyes glowed ominously. "The sun rises early here, and when it reaches zenith it will be almost exactly above the needle, that is when we will act."

They relaxed for a few hours before riding on and when daylight finally was gaining power they were already by the cliff. It was very strange indeed and Maglor frowned, it wasn't natural at all. Pallando nodded. "Formed, by someone or something. But a very long time ago"

Rog stared at the cliff, he was sneering. "Do you feel that? The presence, it is not Alatar for sure"

Maglor swallowed and nodded. "Yes, it is… ancient"

Pallando made a grimace. "Yes, and I have no idea of what it is, but it is not accepting Alatar and that is giving me some hope. "

He smiled at Fjalir. "Stay with the horses, you cannot help us yet little one, but soon"

He looked up. "A few hours left, then we see if they can fight the monsters in there for real"

Alatar had fled the dwarven city early on, to make sure that he got what he wanted. The goddamn naugrim had realized where his true loyalty lay and it was infuriating but there wasn't anything he could do about it. He had sent the orcs and balrogs inn to retrieve this which he felt so intensely and they had failed, spectacularly. The survivors who babbled about monsters and fire and so on were not to be trusted, who trusts and orc? But they were probably onto something, at least he thought so. This feeling he had gotten whence he fled had pulled him to this place and he felt such power there, to be able to control it would be marvellous. He could make it retrieve the object, and then he could present his master with not only the means to get a new body but also a new and powerful ally.

The goddamn spiders were an unwelcome surprise, they were the nastiest critters he had ever met and they didn't respond to his powers at all. The only thing which kept them at bay was his light and they had captured and eaten all his orcs except a few which had been smart enough to stay close to him. He was constantly trying to gain access to the consciousness he felt there, it was not budging at all, hard as steel and just as unyielding. The balrogs sat in a small group, silently chatting and the orcs did the same, ignoring the horrific spider beasts which threw themselves at the glowing dome constantly. They trusted his power, that was at least one good thing.

The mind he felt was unlike anything he had ever encountered before, it felt evasive and yet very much present and it was not any creature he had met the like of before. No maia nor vala and yet it was very strong, but the power was veiled. He hadn't seen what it was yet. That infuriated him, he wasn't able to charm it forth, nor could he threaten it.

Outside the sun rose and they got ready. Maglor didn't feel too certain about this but they had to try, he had the feeling still, of knowing the rocks, of a sort of kinship. He walked over to a smooth area and put his hands onto it, Pallando grinned and nodded and Maglor closed his eyes, let himself sink into a sort of trance. The song came, just as strong as the last time and he let it carry him. He made the entrance close off, sealed it with thick layers of stone and then he slowly widened the hole in the roof, letting more sun inn.

Alatar was pushing against the barriers he felt, the mind was ice cold and calculating and yet it was also curious to what he was and he had to exploit that fact. He tried to tempt it forth with tiny glimpses of what he could do and he was almost certain that it had taken the bait when there was a godawful sound tearing through the huge open space. It was spiders, screaming. The hole in the roof, it was opening, slowly and letting light inn and now the monsters went berserk. They were climbing on the walls, scurrying around and tried to get away from the scorching light.

Alatar felt that the mind retreated suddenly, in shock and anger and he felt a need to scream too, with sheer frustration. He had been so close! But what was happening? The dome was shaking, he tried to reinforce it but he was drained now, the attempts at overtaking the alien mind was simply something he hadn't thought would be that hard and he had pushed harder than he had intended from the beginning. Morgoth curse his stubbornness. He roared at the balrogs which immediately sprung into flame, the spiders veered off but kept coming, screeching and horrible. The orcs were simply petrified and as the dome fell they were snatched up within seconds and torn to shreds by the monsters.

Alatar sought refuge behind the balrogs but they were not enough, to keep these spider beasts at bay you would need a dragon, or a bunch of them. The hole expanded slowly, and he saw more and more of the structure, it made him gape. The walls, they were full of holes and they were not natural, once upon a time this had been a city, and the strange architecture so alien he had no idea of what he really saw. The spiders were swarming about, trying to evade the beams of light and he wondered if they were some sort of spawn of Ungoliant. Not very likely, they weren't really spiders.

Maglor was singing when he suddenly felt a sort of shove and suddenly the song didn't do anything anymore, he was shut out and he reared back, confused. Pallando frowned and made a gesture, Fjalir came running. "Quickly, something is happening in there, we need to find out what"

Fjalir took a deep breath, then he laid down, closed his eyes. He was really too exited but he had often practiced and he was able to do it once more. He slid into the cliff and what he saw was simply overwhelming. With that much light he saw that the entire cliff had been some sort of structure and there were remains of what had to be slender bridges and elegant details everywhere but it was all so very worn and ruined. Alatar was standing between some balrogs, they were swinging their whips and keeping the spiders at bay, the beasts were frantic. Fjalir was hovering, he felt that presence again, way stronger and now it felt angry, and determined.

The hole in the roof was closing off again, but it wasn't Maglor who did it, whoever lived there had the same ability to form rock and Fjalir found that fascinating.

The balrogs were fiercely protecting their master who felt that something was approaching but it was getting pitch dark again and he couldn't see a darn thing. His powers were there but he couldn't really reach them, it was as if he was shut off from his maia nature. The balrogs were suddenly jerked upwards, as if grasped by something invisible and their flames went out, then he heard just some pitiful cries and they were gone, simply no more. Alatar realized that this was an opponent way too strong for him, for anyone really. He had a feeling that Morgoth himself would have had a hard time fighting this whatever it was.

The spiders had stopped running around, now they were gathering in orderly lines, running back into their webs and the openings, the entire room was filled with light but it wasn't light as he was used to it. It was heat, he could see heat. It looked as if someone had drawn a picture using only black and red and he was shivering. This had been a terrible idea, but the object, it had such power and he had wanted it for his master.

"Your master, who is he?"

The voice was a mere whisper, rather flat and strange and yet real. He trembled, not knowing what to do. "He is…Sauron…Lieutenant of Morgoth the great"

He felt information being ripped from his mind, he felt like screaming but couldn't. This being was utterly powerful. "A pitiful master, weak, bound to fail"

Alatar was gaping. "He is not!"

The voice was chuckling. "Oh but he is, I have seen him, I have seen it all"

Alatar swallowed. "Please, what are you?"

The voice chuckled again. "Are you sure you want to know little maia? I am, that is all you need to know"

Alatar whimpered. "What…what are you to do with me?"

The voice was silent for a moment, that felt worse than anything really. Then it returned. "You have served evil, darkness. You are useful, at least for now."

He felt it, this being was beyond good or evil, it was a force of nature but not a nature he knew. "I…"

The voice was like a caress. "Oh you will serve me well little maia, but you will never again leave this mountain. I have use for your skills, to keep my subordinates happy"

Alatar cringed. "The monsters…"

The voice chuckled again. "Oh but they are perfect, so well adapted to their world, I will use your power until it is spent, then you as others before you will be feed for them"

Alatar felt a tear running down his cheek. "Please, don't"

It came back, almost caressing his ears but it made him feel nauseous. The voice was sharper, harder. "I care not about this world and its wars and ideas of good or bad, I am older than this universe, I am content here, it is as my old home was. I bother nobody unless they bother me, and you little maia, has bothered me, a lot!"

Alatar was flung into the air and landed in a spider web. He was spun around, captured within it and spun into a cocoon by one of the monsters. He could still feel though, and hear, and the voice was inside of his head " Now, at first, you will entertain me. I will see all your memories, all your thoughts, And then you will help me breed more of my servants. "

The scream he tried to make never made it past his lips. Not even Morgoth had been that cruel.

Fjalir had hovered there, witnessed it all and he was terrified, the presence was stronger now and he suddenly realized that it knew he was there. He didn't dare to move, he was just a spirit but this thing could probably capture a spirit like it was nothing at all. "You, little one, I sense a strong sense of honour within you, and your people. I like that"

Fjalir was stunned, the voice was rather friendly, could he trust that. "I…thank you"

The voice was getting closer. "I am no enemy to this world, only if it chose to be hostile. Leave me be and I will leave everybody else be. But I am grateful too, you and your friends have brought me a new toy, although inadvertently. This little maia tried to make me serve his lord"

Fjalir nodded. "I know."

The voice was soft. "There is much strength and courage in the race of the Khazad, and I admire your willing heart. I will reward you for that. Now, leave this city, it was never meant for mortal eyes, go with the warriors of light, aid them. Your name will live on"

Fjalir hesitated. "What are you?"

The voice laughed, now it was pleasant, maybe female even. "A survivor, a remnant of something which was, a memory of a world long gone. Go now, you will receive a gift, use it well when the time comes"

Fjalir was confused but there was a jerk and he opened his eyes again, covered with sweat and he felt odd, almost as if he had been drinking good mead. The others stared at him and he gaped. "Alatar…he is no threat anymore, believe me, I wouldn't wish his fate upon even Morgoth."

Pallando gaped, then he laid a hand on Fjalir's head. "Show me"

Fjalir closed his eyes, went through it all with his mind's eye and Pallando gaped. "Oh Eru, he really knew how to pick an enemy he couldn't hope to defeat. But he is no longer a danger to anyone and his orcs and balrogs are gone"

Rog looked disappointed. "No spiders to crush?"

Maglor just gaped. "We got out of this unharmed, without breaking a sweat and you are disappointed you didn't get to kill anything?"

Rog just shrugged and Pallando sighed, "If it is fights you want I fear you will face more than you ask for soon, I feel a disturbance in the east. Someone is eying the empire and it is not Sauron this time, but something of a more earthly nature"

Maglor tensed up, "What? A new plague?"

Pallando sent him a tired smile. "No, lawlessness, slavers, robbers, the emperor is no more, the land is falling into anarchy as we speak. There is nobody there strong enough to keep things together and the wealth has attracted the eyes of the wicked and cruel. Chaos has erupted within just weeks."

Maglor tensed up. "Will you come with me then? I have to try to save the remnants of what was"

Pallando nodded. "I will, it is needed. The countries you know so well are a defence line now, against something which can throw our world into chaos. We leave now, and we do what we need to do. But be warned Maglor, this time you cannot come as a mere merchant. This time you must be a conqueror. Power is the only language they speak, and the only thing they respect is ruthlessness."

Maglor lowered his head, his mind was spinning. "Then so be it, we have to do what is needed to be done"

Fjalir cringed and got up, he reached down and retrieved something from his cloak, it hadn't been there before and was digging into his back. It was a piece of metal, a rod perhaps as thick as his wrist and as long as his hand. He stared at it. "Did any of you leave this here?"

They shook their heads and Pallando looked a bit intense. "The creature in there promised you a reward, I bet this is it, guard it well. It has power, I can feel it."

Fjalir just stared at the rod and Maglor had an odd feeling, that thing would be important, whatever it was. He just knew it.

Rog petted him on the back. "Righty then, we are to get back to the cities and this time as conquerors, we better get started building an army then"

Maglor rolled his eyes. "Yes, you are right, but where the heck are we to get an army?"

Pallando smiled, showing shiny teeth. "Leave that to me"

Maglor smiled back, a smile which didn't reach his eyes. He didn't like the sound of that, no, not at all.