Chapter Fourteen
The Deep Places of the World
Beyond the edge of the world, Fred Bailey dreamed.
She dreamed of climbing a mountain that spewed ash and burning embers against her skin while her hands and knees were cut to ribbons over rocks that were almost transformed by the heat into glass. She dreamed of hopelessness, of despair that reached into the soul and crushed her spirit like a vise. She dreamt of giving up. And she might have if not for the voice that kept her moving, that forced her on her feet to cross the terrible places of her dreams, to ensure that she never forgot that there was a purpose to the pain. She dreamed of it constantly these days, ever since she had come to Valinor and was at last freed from the terrible whispers of the dark one who was now a prisoner beyond anyone's reach.
Sometimes, she almost remembered what he looked like, this other in her dreams that was not the dark lord that had plagued from her birth. When she thought of him, she was filled with warmth and affection, a feeling so powerful it sometimes overwhelmed her and she knew even if she never met him, that their friendship was the stuff of legends because together, they had changed the world.
She revealed nothing of these dreams to her guardians who were really very new at the whole concept of caring for a child and tried hard, much to her amusement, to be things she needed. Fred wished she had the words to explain to them that though they were not the parents who hand been murdered in their Cardiff home, they were very much her universe and she could not imagine her life without them. When she was in their arms, she felt safe and knew for a fact that both would do anything to ensure her protection. They had come to this magical place because of her, Fred was certain. They never said it but she could tell by the glimmer in their eyes. They wanted her to forget the darkness that had blighted her young life but as much as she wished she could do that for them, it was a part of her now.
Tonight she dreamed about him again but this time, he was not helping her through the darkness. It appeared that he was the one running, trying to outdistance the black cloud following him. He was panting hard, looking over his shoulder, trying to escape but it continued its pursuit relentlessly. It would run him into the ground before it would let him go and as she watched from a distance, she knew that it would catch him if she did not find some way to help.
***********
Fred woke up shortly after dawn. Their house by the sea in the city of Tirion was quiet and Fred knew that Tory would still be asleep. Byran had gone with Aaron and Legolas to see the great fortress at Formenos built by someone called Feanor and would be back tomorrow. Bryan had been very excited about it as he always was with anything to do with exploring the island; she had come to realize.
Clad in her nightgown, clutching the doll given to her by Ariel, Legolas' wife, Fred made her way across the house to Tory's bedroom aware that she would not be intruding if Bryan weren't there. She had learnt that lesson well enough from her parents. The morning breeze moved across her skin as she walked through the house since the elves had built it with many windows. Fred liked the house very much because it was always sunny and warm inside its confines and the windows had beautiful views of mountains and the sea.
She reached Tory's door and twisted the doorknob, noting the almost silent breathing of her foster mother as she slept. Tory was used to having Fred slip into the bed with her, especially when Bryan was gone or whenever she had a bad dream. While they were nowhere in the intensity she used to experience when she still lived at home with her parents, Fred sometimes still did have the occasional childhood nightmare. Of course none of those dreams compared to the deep sense of foreboding that had prompted her to rise from her bed this morning.
Upon entering the room, she saw Tory in a fitful sleep and regretted having to wake the woman who had been the closest thing she knew to a mother since her own had been killed by those terrible monsters, Black Riders, she called them secretly. Climbing up onto the mattress supported by a large wooden bed and designed with ornate carvings that sometimes lulled her to sleep, Fred shook Tory awake who had yet to notice her presence.
"Tory," she said quietly, shaking her arm.
Tory stirred but did not awake.
"Tory," Fred tried again, a little harder this time.
Her efforts were not in vain as Tory rolled over in the bed to face her. Forcing her eyes open, the older woman gazed at Fred after a moment of disorientation.
"What's the matter darling?" Tory said propping herself up on one elbow before
brushing a strand of Fred's hair out of her face. "Another bad dream?"
"We have to go see the lady," Fred replied.
"The lady?" Tory's brow wrinkled in confusion. "Which lady?"
"Eve's Nan," Fred explained.
"Eve's Nan?" Tory looked at her, "you mean Galadriel?"
Fred nodded. "We have to see her."
"Why?" Tory had long stopped being surprised by anything Fred said to her. Thanks to Saeran's connection with the child since birth, Fred had insights that were almost elven in their accuracy.
"He needs my help," Fred said after a moment, "the Black Riders have found him."
"Who's he?" the older woman asked again, deciding that this was a conversation that needed her to be infused with caffeine first.
"The boy," she insisted. "The other Ringbearer."
*************
There was an absurd moment when Eric Rowan thought he was back where this had all started; taking a long ride on a lift into nowhere.
Of course there was no pert young lady talking about the find of a lifetime as
they descended into the depths of an icy cavern, only the steel walls of lift
whose shaft seemed endless. They had
been descending a good three minutes now and Eric wondered just how far into
the earth they had gone. Everyone was
silent as the time in the lift stretched out and with Miranda's words still
lingering in his ear, Eric knew that for the first time in his life, he wasn't
chasing a story because he was apart of it.
The elves seemed anxious and even though they did not say it out loud, Eric guessed the sense of danger they had felt outside the walls of the Celebdil estate had increased. Eric shuddered to think what was awaiting them once they reached the end of their journey and hoped that ammunition would be enough to stop it. He also hoped for Miranda's sake that her children were unharmed.
Much of Miranda's resolve had its foundations in her desire to retrieve them, like any mother would he supposed. He had never seen the maternal instinct up close like this and he had to admit that like all the men present, save Frank, it was rather overwhelming. He wondered if all mothers were like this, built with a genetic desire to sacrifice and to do everything possible to protect their children.
"I wonder how far we're going?" Jason asked, breaking the silence.
"If this Moria," Elladan replied, "deep indeed."
"This Moria," Miranda looked at him, "you've been here before?"
"No," the elf shook his head, "it was forbidden to us for many years because of the creature the dwarves unleashed in the course of their mining. It slew many and drove the rest away. With the aid of the goblins, it ruled in Moria for a long time until the Fellowship passed through here during the Quest of the Ring."
"We elves do not much care for seeing the deep places of the world," Elrohir volunteered and gave the others some idea as to the reason for his anxiety. "Too many things exist in the dark, far older than goblins. Morgoth ruled Arda for aeons before our people awoke at the Mere of Cuineven. Many still live, sleeping in the shadows waiting for the time to awaken."
"Okay," Eric broke in, "let's keep a little optimism here," he looked at his
companions before falling silent when they suddenly felt the mechanism that
controlled their descent groaned dully above them, indicating a change in its
operation. They were going to stop,
Eric thought to himself, instinctively raising his gun and questioning himself
a second later when he had started relying on a weapon so much.
There was little time to debate the issue when the lift came to a halt with a slight jarring motion that left them all staggering slightly. Miranda took the lead as always and she did it so naturally that none of the men in their company felt the need to stop her. Although Elladan and Elrohir had more combat experience than all of them could ever dream of having, the elves seemed content to let Miranda guide their course because she had earned their respect as a warrior.
"Whatever happens, we stay together. Everybody keep an eye on each other. If this place is as big as Elladan and Elrohir say it is, we do not want to get lost."
"That is for certain," Elladan remarked, not at all happy to be in the deep like this. He had not lied when he said that elves found it exceedingly uncomfortable to be so far away from the stars.
No one had opportunity to add further because the doors chose than moment to slide open. The five companions in the lift immediately stiffened with the same sense of purpose with weapons drawn and eyes alert and searching.
Dim light cast a faint shadow upon them all when the doors parted finally, revealing a passageway through rock leading away from the lift. Miranda stepped out first, her gun barrel leading the way as she emerged in the corridor carved from solid rock, taking note of the torches along its walls. She listened closely and heard no sound, just a long, reaching silence that snaked through the corridor into beyond. She emerged cautiously, her body poised for attack as she took another step and then another, until the lift doors were behind her and the others were following closely with abated breath. There was only one path away from the lift and as she studied the walls, she realized that time or erosion did not weather this passage.
It had been carved.
"They made this," Miranda announced. "This isn't natural."
"Saeran's had God only knows how long to dig this out," Eric agreed over her shoulder, coming to the same conclusion.
"At least four hundred years," Elladan pointed out.
"Four hundred years?" Jason looked at him briefly.
"That is only an estimation of when Morgoth may have chosen to resurrect him,"
Elrohir said helpfully.
Miranda was not listening because she was too intent on reaching the end of this passage. They were too vulnerable in here and as they moved along in, she realized that this was the whole point of the design. Saeran had built this corridor for a good reason. It was most likely the only way to the surface and easily defendable. Put a large enough force at the end of this entrance and no one would be coming out.
Behind her, Elladan, son of Elrond, felt his skin tingle in dread. As it was, this underworld was exuding such evil it was often difficult to breathe. He caught a glimpse of his brother and knew that Elrohir felt the same dread. He wondered how Legolas had felt being here during the quest. Did it strike fear into his heart as profoundly as Elladan's own was pounding in his chest? Now the evil was not just overwhelming, it was creeping towards him as if it had legs, moving through the dark on a rapid approach. It was rushing up to meet them and as he stared at the darkness further down the passage, he knew that it awaited them there.
"My lady," Elladan spoke with a hushed voice. "We are not alone."
Miranda did not falter in her steps even though she sensed the others tensing behind her, "are you sure?"
"Yes," he nodded. "I can feel its presence."
"Its?" Eric asked, "as in one or many?"
Elladan paused, searching the feeling that was clawing over his skin like wet slime, "I cannot be certain."
"Nor can I," Elrohir added, giving his brother a look of sympathy because he understood all too well to what Elladan was referring.
The feeling that the twins had voiced was now becoming something tangible as they pressed deeper into the passage. They head it first and even without voicing it to the others, they knew that what waited for them at the end of the tunnel was many.
In the words of humankind, it was legion.
************
For the first time since this nightmare had begun, Pip realised he had to do something.
Before this moment, he had been too afraid to do anything. Fear had caught him in its grip and twisted his insides into a thousands knots. When he had seen the horror of what lurked within the dark shadows of this place, his mind had almost been destroyed by the fright. It would have been so easy to remain hidden with the corners of his mind, taking comfort in the bliss of unknowing. However, a sharp scream had shattered the walls of his deceptive safe haven and now Pip found himself being the strong one while his brother faltered.
Sam was lying on the floor; his body bunched up like a baby, whimpering. When Pip put his hand against his brother's skin, he felt heat and moisture at once. He remembered how he felt when he was sick and knew without doubt that Sam was suffering from some unspeakable malady caused by the wound that the monster had inflicted upon him. Pip knew without understanding completely, that his brother was dying from more than just a wound. As Sam struggled and whimpered, despite Pip's efforts to comfort him, Pip knew that there was more happening to Sam than he could see on the surface.
"Sam," Pip said shaking his brother, hoping to snap him out of his delirium. "You have to wake up. Mummy and daddy are coming. You have to be awaken when they come, so you can tell me what to do."
Sam muttered something, his eyes were closed but the fear on his face told Pip most certainly that wherever he was, Sam was beyond hearing him. Pip straightened up, trying to keep himself from crying because he need to be brave and think of a way out of their situation. It was always up to Sam to do these things but Pip had come to the realization that for once, the duty was his alone. For the first time since they had been incarcerated in their stone cell, Pip took a closer look at their confinement and made the same discoveries as Sam. He studied the stone bars that kept them trapped, the Uruk Hai creature that was standing guard at the entrance of the cavern, ensuring those terrible monsters he had seen devour one of their own did not find their way to Sam and him.
It was the bars that held most interest for Pip however, as he crawled slowly towards them. The Uruk looked over his shoulder at the small boy and Pip found himself freezing in terror as the beast regarded him. For a moment, Pip did not dare to breathe, uncertain of what the beast's attention on him would be. The Uruk growled in his guttural language, the way a bitch dog would snap at her pups to behave. Pip shrank back but did not retreat to the shadows. Content with his response, the Uruk faced front again and Pip found himself releasing another breath before he crawled forward once more, this time even more carefully.
He reached the bars and saw that they were stone, carved out of a large slab of rock no doubt. The only thing that was not apart of the whole was the door and he knew there was no way to breach it. However, the bars were stone but polished enough to appear somewhat even in its surface. He kept his eyes fixed on the Uruk as he pressed his head against the bars, having come to the conclusion that Sam had probably realized he was too big to slip through. Fortunately, Pip was smaller than his brother was and slender enough to fit even if it was a tight squeeze. Given time, he could work out of this cage. The problem however, was not in getting out but rather what to do once he was. There was no way he could slip past the Uruk Hai at the mouth of the cavern and it was too dark for him to see if there was an alternate way out of it.
As he was pondering the situation, something unexpected took place.
Another of the beasts appeared and paused before the former. For a few seconds, the cavern was filled with the sounds of their harsh speech, words that Pip did not understand flying back and forth like insults instead of conversation. The Uruk cast their yellowed eyes at him; their voices filled with an emotion that almost sounded like indecision. Finally, their guard broke away from his new companion and strode towards the cage. Pip scrambled back to Sam's side out of habit even though his brother was in no condition to help him.
"You," the Uruk glared through the bars at Pip, his teeth bared. "You will stay here. You will not move from this place."
Pip nodded furiously, too terrified to do much else.
"I am going for a time," the Uruk barked gruffly. "I will not be gone long and if you choose to escape, I can find you. I know your scent, young meat. If you try to escape, I will find you and then I split open your brother's belly and make you eat of him, do you understand?"
Pip almost burst into tears from the imagery but nodded in understanding instead.
"Good," the Uruk straightened up; content that he had put the fear of darkness into the child's spirit with his warning. "Remember," he added finally before he turned away, "there is more here than just what you see. There are things lurking in the dark that will eat you with one swallow and give little thought to you while you disappearing down its gullet. Stay here, you will live longer."
With that, he turned and walked away, joined by his companions, leaving Sam and Pip alone.
Pip lost count of just how long he had stayed in his place, paralyzed by fear of the creature's warning but as his fear subsided somewhat, he remembered that Sam was hurt very badly. He needed help and he needed it soon. Pip thought of what the creature had warned the threat to kill Sam if he tried to escape and then recalled what his brother had said about their captors needing them alive. They wanted dad to do something, something very important and they needed Sam and he alive to make daddy do it for them.
No, they couldn't be harmed, yet, not until daddy did what he had to.
With this logic in place, Pip took a deep breath, calmed his racing heart and approached the bars again. He pressed his head to the gap and fell the strain of unmovable rock as he forced his way through. He pushed as hard as he could, feeling pain coursing through his skull as his head struggled through the barrier. He could feel the stone scraping his skin, the flesh being eroded away until there was the slick moisture of blood. He grunted in pain, biting down so hard he could taste blood in his mouth and just when he thought he could stand it no more, he felt something give way and suddenly, he was through.
His head throbbed terribly and he could feel blood but he had slipped his head through and once that obstacle had been breached, it became a simple matter of twisting his body around to pass through the rest of the way. When Pip was finished in this little maneuver, he found himself staring through the bars at Sam. His brother had not noticed his departure, the delirium had robbed Sam too much of his faculties for that. Pip wished he could reach Sam and hold his hand but for him to do that, he would have to enter the cage again and his head was too tender to make the attempt again so soon.
"I'm going to get help Sam," Pip said softly. "I promise I'm going to come back as soon as I find mum and dad. Once they come back with me, they'll know how to help you. Mum will make it better," he replied with growing resolve, "you'll see."
Sam did not register his vow and Pip could only stand there briefly, praying that his brother would still be alive when he returned. However, the moment to linger was brief because he had to get moving.
Somehow, he had to get help.
***********
When the Nazgul had killed the woman in front of him, Frank came to the dreadful realization that these creatures were too much for him.
It was quite a sobering experience comprehending one's own weakness in the face of overwhelming darkness and considering that he was still wearing much of Irina Sadko's brain matter on his clothes, he supposed he was handling rather well. He had not anticipated the cold ruthlessness of the Nazgul, not even when they had killed Hans. He had not thought them capable of such malevolence but now he knew better and despaired because it drove home deeply, how real the possibility had become that he would never see Miranda and the children again.
The thought of them was the only thing that kept his sanity in place, knowing that while he was in the clutches of the Nazgul; his wife would have some chance of retrieving their children. Sometimes, the best thing a father could do for his family was to simply die and he had a sense that this was that moment for him. He had been so stunned by the woman's death that he had allowed them to drag him into the house, certain that he was bound for torture and some other grisly fate in their efforts to regain control of the artifact.
Stop thinking like an archaeologist Frank, he rebuked himself silently. It's not an artifact, it's the Silmaril.
However, they did not plan on torturing him yet and when his senses started to
pay attention to where they were taking him, he took stock of the destruction
to the building. A side of the building was billowing in flames, a gaping whole
in the fine architecture of the mansion. Mortar and brick were crumbling amidst
the flames and Frank found himself savoring some satisfaction in knowing that
Miranda had caused all this destruction.
"Where are you taking me?" He demanded as they took him down a long corridor. The walls of the passage was charred black and riddled with bullet holes. Some parts of the wall had actually buckled in with heat and the paint had burned into the stone. He saw bodies strewn about, some torn apart by bullets, while others had found their end by the way of arrows. It was clear that Miranda and the others had been through this passage recently.
"You wish to see your sons," the Nazgul hissed. "I am taking you to them."
This should have pleased Frank but somehow, it did not.
"Why?" Frank asked.
"Be grateful that you will see them," Morgul responded snidely, relishing the smile the human could not see.
It had given Morgul considerable pleasure to devise his method of vengeance, so much sweeter than actually killing the whelp. He delighted in the simplicity of it and knew that even if this human did give up the Simaril, his child would never be the same again. And it had given Morgul great pleasure to turn one of the hated ringbearers into a wraith. After all, it was because of that accursed hobbit that the Master had been destroyed and banished to the void and they were similarly doomed to endure the shadow world like mists without form or power. This way, he would have his vengeance not only against the enemy of his master but ensure that the shield bitch would find suffer as intolerably as he when he was sent to his death by her blade.
Oh yes, it would be a sweet revenge indeed.
***********
Sam was in a very odd place.
He had been running across a place with sharp stones under his feet and hard rocks in his way, trying to escape the darkness that chasing him like all the hounds of hell unleashed. He ran until he could not breathe, until his heart was pounding so hard in his chest that it felt like it was going to explode. He knew they were back there, those things, those black riders. However, Sam knew that this was no dream he would wake up from and this time, they would run him down until he was caught or died from exhaustion.
He could feel the rocks cutting his feet, could feel the moisture of sweat against his brow and he was panting as if like a ton of bricks was pressing down on his chest, refusing to let his breath escape. He looked over his shoulder and he could hear them, thundering hooves, black robes flowing against the twilight evening. He did not know how long he could keep running, how long before this burning pain in his shoulder would finally be the end of him. He ran as fast as he could and still, they were following. He would die in this dream without ever waking up.
Then suddenly, without warning, he had run into a place that was not at all sharp rocks and darkness. It was a nice place, a home, warm and comfortable. The windows were round and there were books piled in corners. He could feel heat coming from a warm fireplace, a kettle poised on ancient looking stove with wisp of steam escaping the spout. It looked familiar but he could not remember how it was familiar, only that he been here before somewhere.
"Hello Sam," a voice said behind him.
Sam turned around and saw what he thought was another child because the person was small like him. However as he looked closer, he knew that this stranger with locks of dark hair and powerful blue eyes was no child but rather a man, an adult.
"You have questions Sam," the stranger smiled, "I wish I could answer them all but we don't have a great deal of time I'm afraid."
"Who are you?" Sam asked his voice soft and ragged from running.
"I am you best friend," the stranger smiled back, "and you are my Sam. It's
taken a great deal for me to get here Sam, to find you in all this darkness. It
wasn't for Galadriel; I would never be able to manage it at all. When we see each other again, we won't know
one another like we do now but that's all right, that's how it's supposed to
be. I knew you were in trouble Sam and
I had to find you, I had to tell you must FIGHT. You cannot give into them."
"Them?" Sam replied blankly and just a he did, a shadow seemed to fall over the warmth of the room. Amber light dissipated in place of indigo evening.
The stranger looked around, concern looming over his face before he regarded Sam again. "The end of an age is almost here Sam and I will need you for what is coming. I know you're tired and I know you want to rest but you have to keep running. Help is coming. I can feel it even if you can't. You were always stronger than I, stronger than anyone could possibly believe. I know you can stay ahead of them."
"You're the other," Sam exclaimed in a moment of revelation. The other at whose side was his place in the world. This was the missing part of himself he had been searching, the bond that was more than friendship or love, it was more than human emotion, and it was timeless like the filaments that made the universe a living whole. "Next to you is where I'm supposed to be."
"Yes," the stranger smiled, "we know each other Sam, in this life and the one before. We have lots to talk about but not now, a whole lifetime is waiting for us but you must keep ahead of them. I know it's hard, I know how much pain you're in but you must fight to stay alive. Our time is growing short, this place is going to disappear soon but know that I'm with you, know that I believe in you just as you always ensured that I could go on because you believed in me. We will survive this. Do you understand? We will survive this together."
"Yes," Sam nodded and it was true, he could feel the other's strength reinforcing his own, filling his wounded spirit with hope and determination. It was the stuff that could move mountains.
"We changed the world together Sam," the other said placing a hand on his
shoulder. "You may not remember but we did.
What you and I accomplished together is the stuff of legends so you must
believe me when I say to you that no matter how terrible they are, you are
stronger."
Sam nodded as the windows began to shake and the light in the fireplace diminished. A great rushing sound ripped apart the walls in an instant and took with the house and all the warmth within it. Sam blinked and saw the other was gone, leaving him alone in the barren wasteland once again. The sound of thundering hooves broke through the wail of the wind and Sam drew in a deep breath and knew what he had to do.
He had to run and he had to keep running until help came.
He was strong enough. He wouldn't give up.
***********
There were moments when one's first impulse was usually the right course of action in an unexpected situation. It required no thinking, no question or doubt, just action. When Miranda caught her first glimpse of Uruk Hai, she knew that this was one of those moments.
There were so many of them she could hardly take count but her first impulse was to pull the trigger and drive them back. She could not tell by the dim light of the enormous hall they had entered whether or not the Uruks were armed but Miranda was certain they were. There was a brief pause as both parties recognize each other and the battle line that was suddenly been drawn between them. It was little more than a second in real time but the rapid-fire explosion of bullets escaping Miranda's gun signaled its end.
"Get back!" She shouted as her bullets caused the enemy to scatter behind the great pillars the size of redwood trees within the room.
They shrank back into the corridor as the returning gunfire smashed into the wall where they had been standing. Fragments of stone and mortar went flying about in all directions, creating a mist of debris that followed them back down the passage.
"We're hemmed in," Jason cursed as they were forced to retreat.
"Like hell we are!" Miranda snapped and pulled out the handgun tucked in her jeans. "When I give the signal, the both of you run! I think I saw an entry way towards the far left. Get in there and cover us."
"What are you going to do!" Jason demanded over the sound of gunfire.
"We're not waiting for them to come get us," she said gruffly. "We're getting through. Elladan, Elrohir, come with me."
The two elven brothers followed Miranda without question as she strode up the hallway again.
"What do you intend?" Elrohir asked first.
"I want you to use those explosive tipped arrows of yours," she said as the others followed her, her voice growing louder as they returned to the end of the corridor where the bullets were still exploding. "I saw columns, many of them. Those things are hiding behind them. Shoot at them."
"Shoot them!" He exclaimed. "Are you mad?"
"Don't worry," Miranda retorted. "I saw the size of those columns, you don't have the fire power to bring them down but those Uruks don't know that and they might withdraw to keep us from trying. Its only to give us enough time to get past them."
The elf looked at her dubiously but supposed that she knew the explosive capability of these arrowheads better than he did. Also, Miranda had led them this far and their skins were attached to their bodies so he trusted that she knew what she was doing.
"I will aim first," Elladan looked at his brother. "We will do this in succession."
Elrohir nodded in agreement. "I wait for you."
Miranda looked over her shoulder at Jason and Eric as the elves were deciding their strategy. "As soon as we start shooting, you two make for that entrance! We'll need you to cover us when we make the attempt."
"You can count on us," Jason declared firmly.
"We'll watch your back," Eric added his voice to the mix.
The gunfire was digging into the stone surface, spraying sharp fragments and dust through the air as they inched closer to the edge. Miranda took the lead, handgun and assault rifle in each hand. She could hear nothing but loud explosions of gunfire ripping up the air and knew that she had to wait until the right moment to act. Bullets were not an infinite resource and she knew that with the amount of ammunition the enemy was discharging, it would only be a matter of time before she had the break she needed.
"Hold until I say," Miranda warned. Elladan and Elrohir may have been immortal but they had little experience with gunplay and Eric was a complete novice. Thank goodness for Jason, she thought to herself when suddenly she heard a slight pause and knew that it was time to act.
"GO!" She ordered just before she started shooting with both guns blazing. Creating a wall of bullets that somewhat protected Jason and Eric as they bolted into the fray, the two men hurried through the open space. Elladan and Elrohir were already releasing their bowstrings, sending their explosive tipped arrows in the great pillars behind which many of the Uruks were taking cover. She still couldn't get an accurate number of how many there were but the bullets she was firing ferociously ensured that Jason and Eric could make their way across the floor relatively unharmed. Thanks to the efficiency of the weapon in her hand, those 750 rounds per minute was proving to extremely useful in keeping the enemy at bay.
However, they were nowhere as useful as the customized arrowheads that Elladan and Elrohir were wielding.
Apparently they had expertise with these kinds of weapons before and wielded them presently with deadly accuracy. The arrowheads struck their target as intended and the ensuing explosion rocked the great hall. Stone heaved loudly as the Uruks standing near the point of detonation were throw in all directions, their bodies flung aside like rag dolls in the hands of an unruly child. Smashing hard against the floor, they heard dull cries of pain became lost in the ear splitting roar of explosions and gunfire. The confusion of explosives and bullets had turned the hallway into an orchestra of chaos and to this music they saw Jason and Eric reach the other end of the floor and were now in a position to see to the crossing of their comrades.
"Elladan!" Miranda shouted at him when she retreated behind the wall, "on my signal go. Elrohir and I will cover your back. As soon as you get to the others, repeat what you're doing here. That will give your brother the room he needs to get to you."
Her planning was sound and logical. What a warrior this woman would have made in the day, Elladan thought before he sniggered to himself in a private joke. But she had been a warrior in her day, he corrected himself, a shield maiden no less. "I will await your word."
Miranda nodded slightly before she stepped out again and resumed her barrage with Elrohir continuing his assault with more efficiency because his brother's life depended on it.
"NOW!" Miranda ordered.
Elladan raced forward, keeping his head low as he felt the bullets whizzing past him. Their sound was a great assault upon his heightened hearing but somehow he endured it. Clutching his bow, he crossed the floor and saw that Jason and Jason had also adding their firepower to the battle, reinforcing the formidable defensive perimeter that Miranda and his brother had created to ensure his safe passage. He ran past the great pillars, knowing that this was the great hall of Balin's city, abandoned by Durin's folk since the Third Age.
He skidded next to a stop behind the corner that Jason and Eric were using for
shelter, out of breath but infinitely grateful to have escaped the line of
fire.
"You okay?" Eric asked, pausing in his barrage as he looked to Elladan's well being.
"I am well," Elladan replied. "I must say I do not like these guns very much. Their projectiles move much to fast for my liking. Where is the skill to evade them?""
"Non-existent unless you're Superman." Eric grinned.
"Superman?" the elf stared at him.
"Never mind," Eric shrugged and turned away to return to the business at hand. "We have to help your brother and Miranda across."
Elladan agreed and stood with Jason and Eric as they renewed their assault upon
the enemy and prompted Elrohir into taking the perilous journey. Covering his
brother's journey as he had done, Elladan continued the barrage with the deadly
cache of arrows, making certain that each one countered. The hall began to fill
with dust from shattered rock, not quite enough to dislodge the pillars but
enough to ensure that any Uruk standing in close proximity would know a swift
death. Elrohir reached them soon enough and finally it was only Miranda who
waited to make the crossing. The five men who had fought at her side, who
followed her lead, mounted a united assault of gunfire and explosions, creating
such a roar of noise and confusion that Miranda had little difficulty reaching
them over the blaze of artillery.
"Come on!" Jason prompted once they were all together again, running down the room that apparently led to other caverns and halls in the labyrinthine place.
As Miranda followed the young New Zealander, she wondered how it would be possible to find two small children in such a large place.
***********
Pip heard the noise that was shuddering through the cavern and knew that something was happening. Frightened beyond all belief as he hurried away from the cavern where he and Sam were being held, Pip wondered if he was not being foolish, straying from the path that was known to the great darkness that was this place. He was too little to be able to defend himself. He was five! He always told Sam that he was big enough to do the things his brother could but until this moment, did not realize how truly insignificant he was. He thought of mum and dad who were probably searching for them and felt a deep pining for both that would have broken him into a thousand pieces if it were not for the overriding desire to find help for Sam.
He ran as fast as he could, putting as much distance away from himself and the cavern where he had left his brother. In his mind, a step further away was a step closer to freedom and his parents. It was dreadfully simple logic that only a child could manage in such horrendous circumstances. The caverns that he moved through were a curious mixture of manmade hallways and natural tunnels. He wondered who would have built these because it seemed very old. His father could discern what these were, Pip thought proudly. Daddy knew these things because daddy was very smart. He clung to the memory of his father, steel rimmed glasses perched upon his nose as he worked meticulously to study some artifact that he found. Pip loved watching Frank, watching the sparkle in his father's eyes when an answer came to him and his dad's efforts to explain that discovery even if much of his words were lost on Pip. That he tried to explain made Pip love him all the more.
Pip did not know how far he had gone before his straining lungs finally forced him to rest. The intermittent mix of walls and tunnels had blurred and he realized too late, the light in these passages was becoming infrequent the further away he strayed from the cell he had escaped. Only a faint glimmer of illumination reached his present location from a torch left behind some time ago. He had been breathing to hard earlier to notice a rancid odor that had crept up his nose that had all been unnoticed until he had paused. Pip was too young to know how much fear could mask when one was terrified.
He pause and took stock of his surroundings, the replenishment of oxygen in his
lungs had brought clarity to his mind, clarity he wished he did not have. The
smell was bad, very bad, like garbage after many days. He had stepped into a cavern and unlike the
others, knew this one was not man made. This one was very old because the air
he breathed reminded him of the places his father had unearthed, stale and
barely breathable. He sucked in a deep breath and started to retreat, feeling
even more anxious at the eerie glow of indigo that bathed the cavern. He looked
around, trying to source out the reason for that awful smell and then decided
he did not want to know. Recently, he
had learnt that monsters were very real things and the darkness was where they
thrived.
Where he was right now was very dark indeed.
Suddenly, he heard something. It made him freeze in his tracks. It dawned on him like slime crawling up his spine, cold and startling. He was not alone.
**********
It was rather surprised.
Under normal circumstances, it would have to hunt for its food. Its customary prey was wise enough not to stray these paths for they knew it had marked this place for its own. There was plenty food beyond it domain but hunting was required. It relished the chase for the prey was weak and chose safety in numbers, however even that was not enough to stop it from snatching a meal when it was time to feed. Sometimes they fought back with weapons but usually what harm that came to it was minimal and the kill had the tendency to send the others fleeing.
This new prey that had wandered into its realm was very strange. The meat smelt fresh. It could taste the tenderness even from its hiding place. The prey was also very small and could possibly be a youngling. It had tasted a few younglings in its time but none had the exquisite texture of scent as the one before it now. Its mouth watered in anticipation of the kill by the sheer deliciousness of the aroma exuding from its terrified flesh.
It saw the prey sensed him. The fear that had been heavy enough in the air for it to detect from far away had now become a musk-saturated stench. The prey was aware of its presence and was retreating. It watched with amusement as the youngling turned on its heels and fled.
It bared its teeth and smiled in pleasure. It did so love the hunt.
************
When the lift opened after the long journey, Frank had a genuine curiosity as to how far they had traveled. Trapped in the confines of the small space with the Nazgul was hardly a pleasant experience, however it felt even worse when it appeared to take forever to reach their destination. The Nazgul were growing increasingly uncomfortable as they made their descent into god only knew what depths and Frank wished he knew the reason for their agitation. He wondered if their mood could be attributed to the nine kinds of havoc his wife was undoubtedly wreaking in the search for their children. Knowing Miranda, subtlety would not be a strong point in such a venture.
When the doors parted and Frank was shoved outside, he was treated to what could only be called an archaeologist's dream and nightmare all rolled into one. He saw what could be considered the greatest archeological find of all time. The ceiling of the room was so high that Frank could not see the top but he knew it was there because the mighty columns that stretched from the floor and disappeared into the darkness above was proof enough of it. He saw the pillars, large as redwoods, standing before him like a great forest in a room whose sheer size was enough to take the breath away. If it were not for the urgency of his present situation, Frank would be exploring this place in an instant, trying to learn as much about the people who had built this monument to their civilization.
It was also a nightmare because the pillars standing immediately beyond the passage that had led from the lifts was riddle with bullet holes and what looked like damage from explosives. Chunks of stone littered the floor along with bodies. His heart sank at the destruction to the site but had little time to grieve this defacement because he was soon confronted with more evidence that Elladan and Elrohir's tales of Middle earth was true origins of the world he knew.
Upon seeing their arrival, a number of creatures strode up to Frank and the Nazgul. He stared at these beings, fascinated and frightened at the same time because they were definitely not human even though they took on human characteristics in many ways. Obviously, these were the Uruk Hai that Elladan had told them about, the creatures that David Saeran had grown in secret to be his army during his failed attempt to establish a new world order. The archaeologist in him was tempted to enquire if the Uruks had any skeletal fragments he could look at for a comparative study.
"My Lord," the Uruk bowed his head as he addressed Morgul. "Intruders have invaded this place."
"Where are they now?" The Nazgul lord demanded. His voice was almost glacial.
The Uruk shuddered at the sound of it and answered quickly. "They have escaped down the eastern hall."
"Which means they could be anywhere!" Morgul hissed and grabbed the Uruk by his throat.
Frank watched in horror as the Nazgul tightened a black gloved hand around the Uruk and squeezed in a vise like grip. The hapless creature struggled in a litany of gurgling sounds, his hands desperately clawing at Morgul's arm but to no avail. Frank turned away when the Uruk's efforts to fight subsided with his larynx crushed and his legs gave way beneath him. The sounds of the Uruk's gasp still invaded Frank's consciousness when he heard the creature's struggle finally giving way to death. Turning back to the grisly scene, Frank saw the Uruk was dangling limply in Morgul's grip. The Nazgul relinquished his hold only then and allowed the body to tumble to the floor.
The other Uruks did not look at their fallen comrade but Frank could tell by their body language that they were not unaffected by it. However, the Nazgul were their masters and this harsh punishment for failure appeared to be something they were accustomed to. He wondered if these creatures had any cultural identity of their own or was serving the Nazgul and their dark lord all there was to their existence?
"Find the invaders," Morgul ordered, the murderous edge to his voice even more pervading.
The Uruks nodded in blind obedience and departed to do that. Frank had some measure of satisfaction knowing that Miranda was still alive and at the moment, beyond the reach of the enemy. After their audience with the Uruks, the Nazgul left the enormous cavern, resuming their course of supposedly reuniting him with his children. Frank was more than dubious about this claim, certain that the Nazgul were not prone to generosity unless it suited them. This was their way of reminding him what was at stake, to convince him that producing the Simaril would be the only way to save his children. Frank was not foolish enough to think for one moment the Nazgul would have honored their word, even if he had been willing to make the exchange.
They lead him through a maze of passages, saying nothing as they made the journey. Although he was generally afraid, something else had started to concern him, something he could not put his finger on. It tugged at the edge of his consciousness, fraying his nerves with silent foreboding. As it was, the thought that his sons had been incarcerated in such a dismal and desolate place, so far beneath the earth, with Uruk Hai as their jailors had filled him with a deep sense of outrage and there was no telling what effect this would have on their state of mind. He thought of Sam and Pip in this darkness and felt such a fierce desire to hurt the Nazgul that he could scarcely contain it.
They arrived at a cavern after long last and Frank was ushered in first, his passage through the entrance facilitated by sharp push forward. He stumbled slightly in the dim light and saw what looked like a small cage in the center of the cave. It appeared carved from rock and the only artificial thing about the construct was the metal door that sealed its contents within. His heart began to pound as he took a step forward, squinting hard at the same time so he could make out what was contained within. He could smell the acrid smell of human waste and felt his stomach hollow in disgust.
"Open it!" Frank shouted.
"We are not obliged to do anything," Morgul replied icily.
"You want the artifact?" he glared at the Nazgul. "Then open the fucking door!"
Morgul nodded at one of his brothers who immediately stepped forward and complied with the request. No sooner than the door had opened, Frank had raced forward, skidding to a halt at the entrance.
"Sam! Pip!" He called out frantically.
Sam was lying on the floor of his terrible cage. His tiny body scrunched up in
a fashion Frank had not seen since he was very little. The boy was shivering
and had not enough presence of mind to recognize his father was near.
"Sam!" Frank bundled his son in his arms and felt himself reduced to panic when he saw how hot the child was. There was moisture on his face. Bloody hell! He was burning up! It was when Frank was trying to understand how his son had come to this did he seen the bloodied stains on the floor that led him to the knife wound in Sam's shoulder.
"You bastard!" Frank swore furiously. "What have you done to him? Where's Pip?"
"The other one is gone," the Nazgul revealed to his brothers.
"The incompetence of the Uruk Hai is beyond description," Morgul shook his head in disgust. "No matter," he shrugged. "I doubt he'd survive out in the open for very long."
Frank refused to believe that because Miranda was out there somewhere and he had to believe that if Pip was wandering this place, she would find him. She had to. He turned back to Sam, holding the child in his arms the way he had done the first hour of Sam's life.
"Sam," Frank said trying to keep his voice from shattering. "Sam, its dad, I'm here Sam. I'm here." He clutched Sam's hand, hoping that wherever his son was, he could feel Frank's presence.
Sam stirred at the sound of his name. His eyes fluttered and he stared at Frank with glassy eyes. Frank tried to conceal the shock at seeing the color of his hazel irises turning to white. "Daddy," he whispered in a small voice, "it hurts."
"I know Sam," Frank swallowed, clutching the boy's hand tighter. All the reason, all the intelligence and courage in the world felt meaningless in the face of a parent confronting their worst fear, harm to their children. At that moment, seeing his son in this condition, Frank knew he would give the Nazgul whatever they wanted if it meant he could save his boy. "I'll make it better Sam, I promise you, I'll make it better."
"Now," Morgul stepped forward, pleased that the professor was exactly where he needed to be, "let us discuss the whereabouts of the Simaril."
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