Chapter Six (this chapter is a flashback and happens before Legolas and Gimli arrive)
In the darkness of the night, a shadowy figure makes her way into the silent fortress that is known as Valis' castle. Her mission is to steal treasure from the royal vault. But, this time, she wasn't after any ordinary treasure; it was a treasure that was as powerful as Karla's circlet (that of which, by coincidence, was now locked away in Valis as well) and it was just as deadly.
"I'd better get paid well for this." The thief thought, as she sneaked through the silent halls, as she'd done many times before. From memory, she located the stairs that led into the castle treasury and started down them. She ignored the first two doors of the treasury; her targets were buried deeper. Then, she found what she was looking for, an ancient door. Upon it, runes in a long forgotten language were carved.
"Probably to ward off intruders." The thief thought, then shrugged. Why should she care? With all her strength, she pushed the heavy door open and marveled at what she saw next. There, before her, on a pedestal of black marble, were nine glittering rings.
"What a haul! It's no wonder Valis locked these babies away! Each one must be worth a king's ransom!" the thief thought, as she eagerly placed them in a satchel for transport. As she was heading out, the thief noticed another door, and upon opening it, found Karla's circlet.
"Well, well! If it isn't the famous circlet! It doesn't look like much………..still, it would be a nice addition to what I've taken tonight." The thief mused, as she reached for the circlet. There was a brilliant flash of light and she knew nothing else.
"Finally! I am free again! Now to get out of here." A newly freed Karla said, relishing in her newfound freedom. With little effort, she vanished, leaving not a trace of herself behind. When she reappeared again, she was well beyond the walls of Valis.
"Now, where do I go now?" Karla wondered, then noticed the satchel tied to her belt.
"What's this?" Karla thought, as she opened the satchel and looked at its contents. Then she remembered (via accessing the thief's memories) that she'd broken into Valis for the rings. Without another thought, Karla transported herself to where the thief was to have gone. She found herself in some ancient ruins.
"Minas Morgul………….and to think I'd always thought it to be a legend." Karla mused, as she touched the weathered stone with one hand. Then she continued onwards to where she knew the man who had sent the thief now resided. She wasn't in the least bit surprised when she saw an ugly little man in Kardis priest robes, standing there, waiting impatiently for the thief.
"So, Jerry the Stupid has emerged from the hole that had birthed him." Karla said, with venom in her voice. She hated Jerry for one reason……….his incompetence!
"You dare………….!" Jerry started, then stopped, his ire dying away as quickly as it had arisen when he saw that the circlet now adorned the thief's forehead.
"Karla?! How could this be?!" Jerry stammered.
"None of your concern. What are you going to do with these rings?" Karla asked.
"Take back Marmo! I need the power and might of the Nine in order to do so! Give me the rings, Karla." Jerry hissed, making himself look and sound like a creature that had existed many centuries before.
"Take them. I have no quarrel with you." Karla replied, seemingly bored as she tossed the satchel to the seething Jerry. With that, Karla dismissed herself to a shadowed corner of the room, where she could watch the diminutive Kardis priest carefully. Slowly, Jerry removed the rings from the satchel and placed them on a black marble altar. After he had done that, he began to chant in an ancient, forgotten tongue that made even Karla shudder.
"I call on thee, Nazgul! Ride forth from the shadows that have been your prison! Come forth!" Jerry called, as darkness blacker than Karla had ever seen swirled around them.
"I have made a grave mistake……….." Karla realized, as nine figures materialized before Jerry.
"We have come." A voice, the voice of the Witch King, whispered, sounding like the beating of Death's wings.
"Excellent! Now to take back Marmo! Ashram will die a horrible death!" Jerry said, gleefully.
"Fool." The Witch King growled, and, without a second thought, incinerated the foolish priest.
"You there, in the corner, do you have anything to say?" another RingWraith asked.
"Nothing. I serve the Nine." Karla replied.
"Then here are your first orders; call all of the allies of Mordor together. I want to find an army here upon my return." The Witch King snarled, as he and his fellow Dark Riders spurred their undead horses into action and thundered off into the night.
"What have I done?" Karla thought, remorsefully, as she started on her first task for the Nine Riders of Mordor.