CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Cursed Lake

As Delenn who leads the group finally crests the hill views a giant lake. They have reached it, the Cursed Lake, the lake of sorcery. As the other five reach the hilltop they see a glacial lake covered in ice, the landscape is all snowed in, but this does not stop Delenn, Delenn II, Delenn III, Delenn David Mir, Bri Delenn, and David, they keep going down the hill. As they walk carefully down the slope, the rocks are loose and occasionally the prophecy slips on the rocks. As they reach the lakes shore it is bitter cold as the south winds blow the glacial cold off the mountain. Down the path there is a cement path heading into the lake so Bri Delenn and the other five go to it. As they climb up onto the feature, there is a stone wall to keep them from falling into the lake. As the prophecy sits down to take a break the sky begins to cloud up over them and the air becomes moist, Delenn feels that they should keep going, so she looks back to the other tired prophecy. "Come on you guys, we need to keep on going!"

Delenn David Mir Sheridan looks at Delenn. "Delenn, we need to break, we have hiked four miles all up hill over slippery rock...look at it any way, but we're tired!"

Delenn looks at Bri Delenn, "A storm is coming, we need to get out of this valley!"

David Sheridan looks at the sky. "I believe, those clouds look mean!"

The rest of the prophecy gets up and walks with Delenn. As Delenn and the other five keep walking they come to the entrance of a canyon. As they continue walking the wind going through the canyon is moving about 40-50 miles with 70-80 mile per hour gust. As their walk slows, gravel and sand pounds them, it is very uncomfortable, the sand gets into their hair, into their eyes, into the nose and mouths, it sticks to their skin. As for the flying gravel it only hits the metal armor, shielding them from the wrath of the outdoors. As Delenn and David lead, David sees a clearing, a valley to be in-fact, but it is still some distance. As the wind proceeds to blow harder it begins to snow...very violently! As the snow falls, the land is so dry and cold that it is already sticking to the ground. As Delenn looks back to Bri Delenn, Delenn II, Delenn III, and Delenn David Mir, Delenn David Mir is beginning to show fatigue. The climb is hurting her and the snow is just making her current condition worse. As Delenn looks at Bri Delenn, even she is becoming tired, fighting against this windstorm and now blizzard is actually no piece of cake. But what haunts Delenn the most is the lack of talking among themselves, so she decides it might be wise to have them to be talking if and only if one of them was to pass out due to exhaustion. "Delenn David Mir, how are you holding up?"

Delenn David Mir looks up from the path to the location of Delenn's voice. "I am doing alright Delenn."

Delenn knows that Delenn David Mir is lying, but she decides not to argue with him. As Delenn is silent for a second she then turns her attention to Bri Delenn. "Bri Delenn, how are you doing?"

Bri Delenn, probably the most weighed down individual with the thick enchanted metal, the Sword of Angmar and the Morgul Blade. As Bri Delenn gasp for breath she speaks, but very slowly. "I am doing fine Delenn, but I am horribly tired, this wind is making it harder to move about!"

"Yes I know," as Delenn nods her head "but we will soon be going downhill!"

Near Tsiegret'lop, Asron's armies approach the Khazad'dum Watch Tower. The army has been in the Realm of Tsiegret'lop for awhile, but the quick thinking of a Soldier of Darkness is not admirable at all. As the army marches past the Khazad'dum Watch Tower, there is no resistance. As the army marches on the outskirts of Tsiegret'lop, the sun is going down to end the long day, but the Soldiers of Darkness don't know what type of danger they are in. As the sun is set, the city of Tsiegret'lop comes alive, the souls of the dead come out of their sleep to go hunting Soldiers of Darkness, as the poltergeist find the Soldiers of Darkness, the slaughter begins, but this time they are not slaughtering them, they are ripping apart their brains. As all the Soldiers of Darkness spasm out, they fall dead, but not for long, they arise once again, but their bodies are now occupied by the Tsiegret'lop. As the army looks at one another, they laugh, they succeeded retaking form, now they will have their revenge against Asron. As the group re-gathers weapons, they begin to march back to Khazad'dum.

As Delenn, David, Delenn II, Delenn III, Bri Delenn, and Delenn David Mir finally exit the mountains of Angmar, they are now in a lush valley, once a major glacial valley, now it is a boulder laid plain with the faint sound of a river. To the south, the prophecy sees another mountain range, and as they look west they see another mountain range, but smoke rises from these mountains, the Realm of Khazad'dum is in front of them. As the light goes away and the evening hours approach the prophecy decides to rest on top of a hill, the perfect spot to keep watch for the enemy, but Delenn has no worries about an ambush, the idea about these enchanted lands aloud her the sensation of protection. As for Delenn David Mir and David, well since arriving here on K'ha'dum they have personally felt the grip of evil on this planet, but just for one moment since three nights ago when they crashed at Tsiegret'lop, Delenn David Mir and David do not worry and they are the first to fall asleep. As the night carries on Delenn and Bri Delenn are the only ones awake. As the bitter mountain air blows on them, there is at least a refreshing breeze, but the temperature doesn't affect them for Minbari blood is much thinner and the heat supplied by the veins is superheated to aloud Minbari to remain comfortable on Minbar, for the average hi on Minbar may reach up to 40 degrees in the summer and up to negative 20 in the winter, (if you are in the polar caps) so average temperature for the average Human on Earth is 60 degrees, which is the bases of their planets climate which ranges from negative 50 degrees (in the artic) to 140 degrees (in the deserts of South America), but the average 'comfort' temperature is 40 degrees to 70 degrees due to the thick blood in the Human body. As in comparance to Minbar, Minbari can tolerate temperatures ranging from negative 10 degrees to 60 degrees, anything hotter then 70 degrees, the Minbar nervous system begins to shut down and anything colder the negative 20 degrees, the Minbar will notice it is 'cold.' This would count for reason why Minbari can basically survive in space on a vessel longer then any other 'younger species.' The Minbari comfort level is around negative 10 degrees to 40 degrees. The Minbari-Human hybrid is more selected for temperature from negative 10 degrees to 70 degrees, reason why the temperature here on K'ha'dum does not affect them. As Delenn looks at the cloudless sky, she then looks at her daughter and slightly smiles. "How are you doing Bri Delenn?"

Bri Delenn looks at Delenn wondering what she may want. "I am doing fine, it's cold tonight!"

"Yes it is..." Delenn looks at Bri Delenn with more emotion. "Bri Delenn, I have been wondering and my wondering has lead me to question your past." Bri Delenn looks confused at Delenn. "What I am saying Bri Delenn is that I want to ask you questions of your past. Since you arrived on Minbar, I have noticed your knowledge in our current event...what I am saying is that I want to know your story."

Bri Delenn looks at Delenn confused. "Okay Delenn...well let me think...I guess when I should begin is at the beginning. I began my life at a hospital in North Seattle called Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, there I was diagnosed with asthma, but most of my memory does not begin until I was five years old. I met Jake and we roomed together, Jake was an CF, we lived in the respiratory department. My first year with Jake we were invaded by a counterculture called Neo-Nazis, they held our hospital captive...many died that day, but as the Neo-Nazis were defeated we thought they were gone, but we were wrong, they came back with a new plague and they trashed Seattle. Jake and I suffered from a new muscular disease that made my asthma like CFTR. I died on Mount Saint Helens due to suffocation."

Delenn looks at Bri Delenn "I am sorry Bri Delenn, I had no idea." Delenn is silent, but the idea of Asron comes into her mind. "May I ask you another question?"

"Sure Delenn, what do you need to know?"

"Tell me about the Lord of the Rings."

Bri Delenn looks at Delenn for a second then thinks back when he first saw the movie. It is now hard to picture her former self, but she does well to remember the movie. As Bri Delenn thinks, there is so much to cover and some she has forgotten. "What do you want to know?"

Delenn ponders for a second then answers. "Tell me about Angmar, and a place you call Mordor."

"Well, what I can remember from the movie, Angmar was a bitter cold place in the furthest northern tip of the Misty Mountains, that turns into the Mountains of Angmar. It is said that the realm before the second age was untouched by any creature even Sauron himself, it was wastelands, no value at all. This would be everyone's downfall." Bri Delenn takes a breath and begins again. "According to J.R.R. Tolken, the Witch-King, a former-to-be-king in the kingdom of Númenor, he was banished for the practice of black magic, he was very good at it. It would seem that anyone who combat with him died a painful death, we would later call this painful death, Black Breath, breathing the very air near Murezor would poison you. Well as Murezor seeked a new kingdom, he came apond a place called the Old Realm of Amon Sul, it was the realm of the ancients, all of them dead, buried in tombs called 'barrows', this would be when the Witch-King released evil spirits called Barrow-Wights of drive away the citizens of Arnor. The Barrow-Wights were reincarnated in the dead bodies of kings, noble men, and citizens of Arnor, this began the mass tradition we call cremation. After his success he went up north at the very tip of the Mountains of Angmar and enlisted the support of orcs from the Misty Mountains. They built Carn Dum, a high fortress made from the enchanted stones from the mountains in Angmar. With the Witch-Kings power spreading, he made himself one ring to represent his title as the Witch-King of Angmar. As the Witch-King looked at the Numenorean's, his birth place, he convinced the spirits that the king was plotting against them, and the spirits believed the Witch-King and plunged the Numenorean's into the sea, one entire culture was wiped out. Next was the Kingdom of Arnor one of the only kingdoms in the north, the Witch-King sent orcs, wargs, goblins, and trolls to destroy the kingdom. Arnor was completely wiped off the face of the Earth. Next was Amon Sul, the watch tower of Amon Sul was destroyed and King Arvaleg was killed, so ended the Kingdom of Amon Sul. Next to fall was the Kingdom of Arthedain, it fell to the Witch-King. The last kingdom destroyed was Fornost, it is wiped out. The following year the elves of Lorien and the men of Gondor removed the Witch-King from Angmar, and the Carn Dum was destroyed--those who destroyed Carn Dum, died of the Black Breath, but the War of the Witch-King was over for now! For the Witch-King went to Mordor to seek help, the Witch-King was welcomed by Sauron and as a gift, gave him Minas Morgul, once called Minas Ithil, Minus Morgul means Tower of Black Sorcery...the green tower between two high ridges." Delenn knows what Bri Delenn is talking about. "It is a swampy land home of the black breath, Fell Beast, Nazgul, the Witch-King, and spiders...really big spiders. Shebo is its name. Well anyway, as the Witch-King took command of Minas Morgul, he was once confronted by the King of Gondor to come forth and let judgment be done apond him...the Witch-King denied the invitation to kill his sworn enemy. As the King of Gondor died, a new king came forth, at this time the other eight of the Nazgul were present and with the Witch-King power back he called forth the new King of Gondor, the new king wanting to make a name for himself for being the first to kill the Witch-King went to Minas Morgul, once he arrived he died...killed by the Witch-King and thus began the rule of the Steward of Gondor. For years Minas Morgul slept under a curse of protection until Sauron's ring was found." Bri Delenn who is tired, looks at Delenn, she knows it is time to talk about Mordor. "Well that is the story of Angmar in a nutshell, now for Mordor. Mordor was not always an evil place, only by the second age did it become the Realm of Sauron. No, Sauron's history goes back further with his teacher...Melkor, or known to the elves as Morgoth Bauglir, the ultimate evil! Melkor was banished and Sauron, who is one of the last ancients, gifted with the power of shift shaping and magic and long life. In the name of Melkor, Sauron begins constructing his fortress of Barad'dur in Mordor, but Sauron was arrested and imprisoned at Gondor. Sauron escaped Gondor and went to Mirkwood to build Dol Gur, the Tower of Necromancy. For years people never ventured into Mirkwood due to stories of an evil spirit, but a brave king of Gondor ventured into Mirkwood and found the place to be enchanted by Sauron. Sauron left Dol Gur and went back to Mordor, there he rebuilt the Barad'dur and expanded the boarder of Mordor to a fortress of Cirth Ungol. There Sauron became ruler of Gondor and was entitled as King. Only a few years later Sauron built the White Tower to house one of the palantirs. After a few years Sauron was pushed out of Gondor due to his forging of the rings, but it did not stop there, Sauron made one master ring to rule all other rings. When the elves heard of it, they hid their rings, but only two wore their rings to rule their kingdom using spells to keep the evil touch of Sauron from them. The seven dwarves removed their rings and put them in a cavern called Moria to never be worn again, and then there were the nine men from Waw, Komande, Dir, three from Numenor, two from East Endor, and Angmar. After the rings were made and sent out Sauron made in secret a master ring to control the other nineteen rings. After the end on the creation of the rings, Sauron created all the orcs in Mordor. They left Mordor and began their war against all other life. At the end Sauron was close to being defeated by men and elves, but that changed when Sauron himself got involved. As all the men were enchanted by the ring, Sauron using his staff kills 50 to 100 men in one swipe, no weapon could stop him. At that moment the King of Gondor went to strike Sauron, but Sauron hit him with his hand and was immediately killed. As the son of the king picked up his fathers sword, Sauron crushes it with his foot. As Sauron reached down to crush the new king, the king took the broken sword and sliced off all five of Sauron's fingers. As the ring left Sauron the spell was broken and Sauron, the enemy of the free people was defeated. At that moment, The son of the king had the one chance to destroy all evil...but greed overtook the new king and consumed him. The new king went to his death and the one ring of power abandoned him. Sauron went into hiding at Dol Gur for centuries, consuming the forest and mountain slopes until the ring was found again."

"And then what happened?"

"Sauron went back to Mordor and called back all his power to him. When the creature Gollum was captured he gave two words where the ring was, it was Shire--Baggins. At that moment Sauron sent the Nazgul to the Shire to hunt for the ring. And thus the middle age ushered the war of the rings. I suppose the same is happening here on K'ha'dum. Sauron is Asron, and the Witch-King is the Witch-King of Angmar. The only question is...who are we?"

Delenn thinks for a second. "Was their a group of individuals who tried to stop Sauron?"

"Yes there was the nine alliance, the fellowship of the rings. A person named Frodo carried the one ring of power. There was Peregrin Took, or commonly known as Pippin, he was one of Frodo's friends and helped defeat the White Wizard of Isengard. There was Meriadoc Brandybuck, or commonly known as Merry, another friend of Frodo, he too defeated the White Wizard of Isengard. There was Samwise Gamgee, best friend to Frodo, he helped Frodo get to Mordor. Another is Gandalf, a wizard who died at Khazad'dum, but returned to the fellowship after his trial with a Balrog of Morgoth. There was a man named Strider, who's real name was Aragorn, the King of Gondor. There was an elf, but I don't remember his name, I think it is called Legolas, the elf was a master at hearing, seeing, and never missing his target. Another was a dwarf named Gimli, who was sort of the short tempered one, but he played an important task in keeping the alliance together, by promoting helpless odds and winning them. The last was Borimir, he died protecting Merry and Pippin at Amon Sol. Some other 'bad' characters," Bri Delenn twitches his fingers as custom to 'quote'. "Were of course the Nazgul and orc's, but there were others like Saruman the White, the White Wizard of Isengard I mention ago. He died by his servant called Grima Worm-Tongue who stabbed Saruman in the back just before Saruman was about to state Sauron's plans. Thus Gandalf the Grey became Gandalf the White...much more powerful. Another great enemy was the Lieutenant of the Barad'dur, an ancient servant of Sauron's. He died with his head cut off. Possibly the last misunderstood creature was named Gollum, but who's real name is Smeagol. Smeagol led Frodo and Sam to Mordor, but he died at Mount Doom when he fell into the Crack of Doom."

Delenn pauses to think of what might the fellowship might equal with them, she begins to tie one with one. "Well what you say might be a foreshadow of us. Let me think. You stated a person named Gandalf, Gandalf died at Khazad'dum...Gandalf could be John Sheridan, my husband died at Z'ha'dum, he fell after defeating the Shadow's themselves. Falling was the only way he could survive."

Bri Delenn cocks her head in understanding, "I find that interesting, in the Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf goes into Moria with the fellowship and they fight one cave troll and many goblins, but as they are about to die, all the trolls and goblins run away and hid as the cavern is lit up. Gandalf knows who--what it is. A demon of the ancient world, a Shadow. Its name is the Balrog of Khazad'dum, Balrog of Morgoth. It was found when the dwarves dug to deep. There are many types of balrog's, all winged, but the one in Khazad'dum lives in fire like Morgoth himself. Gandalf fought the balrog and died."

"Who else could we relate?"

Bri Delenn pauses to listen, but hears nothing. "My friend Jake could be best labeled as Boromir, for Boromir died fighting to save Merry and Pippin."

Delenn interrupts Bri Delenn. "So who could Merry and Pippin be?"

Bri Delenn looks at David and Delenn II. "What about David and Delenn II, Merry and Pippin were close friends who never left one another. There also was Strider or known as Aragorn, Aragorn was the leader, so every time I see this name it reminds me of you Delenn."

"So I am Strider?" Delenn says ironically.

"Well it is a proposal, for it fits your characteristics. Well lets go on, we have Gimli the dwarf, Gimli is a feared fighter, but Gimli reminds me of Delenn III."

"Delenn III, why Delenn III? If I may ask?"

"Well Delenn III, she is smaller. But why I chose her as Gimli is because I am running out of people. Legolas reminds me of Delenn David Mir, Legolas was a spunky character who had excellent hearing and sight, Legolas was also very persist, he never missed his target!" Bri Delenn pauses for a second to get her breath, then she goes on. "The only question I have is, who might be Frodo and Samwise, or worse, who is Saruman or Grima Worm-Tongue?"

Delenn slowly shakes her head back and forward to signal, I don't know? "Not understanding who Saruman and Worm-Tongue are, are they good people?"

Bri softly chuckles, "They are quite evil. Saruman the White uses his magic to build his army of Uri-Orc's. As for Worm-Tongue, well he is a dark servant of Saruman, he worked to corrupt the people of Rohan, he gave plans of Helm's Deep to Saruman, and Saruman built a device to blow-up the walls of Helm's Deep. So to answer your question, yes they're evil."

Lightening races through the sky followed by a giant boom of thunder. A few seconds latter more lightening and more lightening, a gigantic lightening storm. As the lightening explodes and opens the universe, the prophecy awakens. As they watch this storm proceed, most of the prophecy knows what is happening, a storm is coming, but Bri Delenn smells something in the air, it smells like sulfur. This is volcanic. As Bri Delenn looks at Delenn, the worry in her eyes is noted, and the reality of the storm of volcanism is very real.

As Delenn looks up into the atmosphere, she sees the sky boiling, but Bri Delenn knows what it is, Mount Cerfire's volcanic shadow has reached them. As the sun begins to rise in the west, the day of darkness has reached them. As for Delenn looks at Bri Delenn, Delenn notices the trouble in Bri Delenn's eyes. Delenn softly speaks to her, the reality of geology is coming to the prophecy. "This is Mount Cerfire, isn't?"

Bri Delenn looks at Delenn, "Yes, this is volcanic ash. The air is warm and dry. The air currents have changed...common with temperature change."

Delenn looks at Bri Delenn surprised, "You know geology?"

Bri Delenn looks at Delenn and smiles, "You be surprised!" As the sky becomes more brighter, twilight best to say, Delenn, David, Delenn II, Delenn III, Bri Delenn and Delenn David Mir watch the sunrise.