Chapter six: The mouse which was a dragon.

CeKay did feel how her systems did recover, how her entire being changed. It made her feel almost giddy and it was an odd sensation for a synthetic being. She was healing and her understanding of this world did expand quite a lot. She could feel it, in a whole new way and she felt the enemy too, like an invisible and yet terrible weight bearing down upon creation itself. If she only had understood what these valar truly were she could discover the weaknesses Morgoth had to own. The camp was quiet and she found her tent and alerted one of the guards of her return, she needed to think and rest. Fingon did drop in, obviously curious. "Did you manage to do what you left for?"

CeKay nodded. "Yes, I am restored. Now I just need to understand what that truly means to me"

She knew that he was about to leave and some part of her wanted to accompany him but she felt that it would be unwise. He was stealthier alone and after what she had done she was pretty sure there would be retaliations. She spent some hours recharging and checking through her systems and she was pleased to find that they all were working perfectly. The daylight was always dim in this area, it was so foggy and moist and not at all very pleasant but compared with the ice it was a paradise. She had noticed that the horses were getting stronger and the elves too did recover very well. But the question was still relevant, had it all been in vain? She doubted that the elves could withstand the brute strength of the enemy, he had too many horrors ready to be unleashed upon them.

Could she aid them by creating new and better weapons? It was of course a possibility but she had a feeling of hesitation. She did remember cases from her history files which could make the blood freeze in the veins of the biologicals. The failed colonization of Furthy five was a prime example of this, there had been two types of intelligent beings on that planet when the Shashrian empire decided to add the planet to their long list of trading partners. The first race was very peaceful and extremely skilled at creating beautiful and very valuable things made from a local type of wood which was hard as rock and extremely durable. The problem was that they were constantly harassed by the other species which was war like and aggressive and they showed no understanding nor remorse when it came to plundering and killing. The empire had given the peaceful race pulse rifles with which to defend themselves and within the span of a few years they had wiped out their more aggressive neighbours. It had been a genocide of epic proportions and a once peaceful race dedicated to beauty became some of the worst monsters of that quadrant. No, weapons was no option after all, it could change everything and not necessarily in a desired direction.

But there had to be something she could do? Being a sentinel was of course possible, a scout who spied on the enemy and gave a heads up warning when the orcs or the other minions of the enemy was on the move. But would that really matter? She had no idea, she needed more information. She realized that she yet again needed to speak to the inhabitants of this realm but preferably someone with a different view of the enemy than the so called avarin elves. The sindar elves seemed rather advanced and they could have useful knowledge, she just had to seek them out but would they trust her? She didn't trust the sons of Fëanor, or at least not most of them. She had no idea of whether or not she would have trusted the one captured but maybe Fingon would be able to rescue him after all.

Fingolfin was again studying maps and she bowed her head respectfully as she entered the tent. He made a grimace and gestured toward the maps. "Look, it is actually possible to lay siege to the fortress but the price will be a heavy one and we are too few and too scattered to do any real damage I fear. The enemy will just sit there like a fat rat waiting until we get tired and sloppy."

CeKay nodded. "Maybe, to unite you all is the only option if that is to happen, I do not know how that can be done though"

Fingolfin sighed and wiped his brow. "It all boils down to politics and to hell with it all, I was sick and tired of politics back in Aman and now I am faced with the same problems. It makes me despair within, yet I have to play this idiots game of absolute nonsense."

CeKay had to grin, this place was no different than the planets she had visited before, the moment you introduced politicians and political agendas into the mix things usually went south pretty fast. "I am sorry to hear that my lord, I guess it is one of the downsides of being in charge of people"

Fingolfin sighed and made a new grimace. "I wish my brother was alive, I knew him damn it, I knew how to deal with him. But his sons? And his followers? I am out of ideas really."

CeKay nodded. "I need more information, I thought about visiting the sindar elves to hear if they have useful knowledge."

The tall noldo turned his head and there was a sort of shadow in his eyes. "Then be careful, do not reveal too much about us, nor about yourself. I guess the sindar are a noble tribe but they have contact with my brother's group and that means that they cannot be completely trusted. Some of the noldor in that fraction are very good at manipulation, even lies"

CeKay bowed her head. "Thank you for the warning."

Fingolfin gave her a strict glance. "When you were out there, were you seen?"

CeKay grimaced, she didn't want him to know the details of her trip. "No, but I do fear that the enemy now knows that there is something out here"

Fingolfin touched the maps gently. "Then take extra care, if Morgoth has set his eyes on you there is no place you can be safe."

CeKay sighed. "I know, but that was the price I had to pay for fixing a problem I had."

The noldo nodded. "I cannot even hope to understand what or who you are, for I sense that the words you gave us regarding yourself is a cover up. But it is none of my business. Like I said, go out there and find your answers but do take care, trust nobody"

CeKay smiled. "I will remember that"

Fingolfin stared at her, he made a vague gesture. "The avarin elves I have spoken to have told me that the enemy has eyes everywhere, he uses many foul beasts as his servants and his orcs ride horrible wargs, and they are fast. You will have to ride hard if you get detected"

She frowned, of course, she could go into camouflage mode but if she had been seen that would just confirm her nature. She had to be able to mingle with the elves for as long as possible, to be mistaken for one of them until it was too late for the attacker to escape. So the wargs were fast? She got an idea. "Then I will not risk the life of a good horse, I can create one on my own."

The elf just gaped and CeKay giggled and turned around, left the tent. The horses the noldor had brought were good beasts, loyal and brave and very fast too but she needed something different, something which was a weapon as much as a means of transportation. She walked out of the camp, found a secluded spot by the river and focused. She released a swarm of nanites and programmed them for a specific task, they copied themselves in the millions, then they gathered all they needed from the surroundings, minerals and chemicals and started joining together again, in the shape of a horse. It did look odd, as if someone created a skeleton from the ground up and then started to wrap sinews and muscle around it at lightning speed. CeKay smiled to herself, she had programmed the nanites very well, when the hide was created to cover the beast she had made some odd choices. The fur covering the animal was like mercury, silvery but changing colour with the light and the mane and tail were thin and silky. The eyes of the horse were ice blue and as it was activated it raised the elegant head and stared at her. She had chosen a different design than the usual elven horses, this animal was very long legged and sleek and held its head high, it reminded her of a very elegant hound in some ways.

CeKay transferred her orders to the creature and then she mounted it. The odd horse would draw attention, but that meant that few would notice its rider. It served as a distraction and she rode back to camp. Some of the elves there just stared as she came trotting slowly towards them, she could see that Fingolfin's daughter was gaping and the lord himself exited his tent and stood there looking gobsmacked. CeKay petted the horse on its neck and it pawed at the ground, eager to go. "With this steed few will bother looking at me, until I am near enough to step into action"

Fingolfin had to swallow. "You made him?!"

CeKay nodded. "Yes, I think I will name him Steelsong"

Argon and his wife stood there and the prince tilted his head. "A good choice of name"

CeKay grinned and turned the horse around. "I will be gone for a while, I do not know for how long."

Fingolfin did look a bit nervous. "Remember what I said, there could be things out there of which we yet are ignorant."

CeKay nodded. "And that is why I have to go, to find out. Be safe, never stay unguarded for long and I promise I will be back"

She made Steelsong rush forth and the horse was just as fast as she had programmed it to be, it was like a wind and she did ride towards the camp of the Fëanorions. The landscape was rather open so she could see everything which moved from a large distance and she felt a sort of curiosity. She was programmed to gather information, it was one of her basic programs and she remembered that her maker had been very keen on his creations being capable of storing an infinite amount of data. She could have served as a science unit as much as an assassin and sometimes good knowledge of the very nature of a place is needed to be able to finish a mission in a satisfactory manner. She did ride for a few hours before she did see something moving and it was some riders. All elves and she saw the insignias on their clothes and knew that these were some of the sons of Fëanor.

When they got closer she did see that it was the redheaded twins and the one called Celegorm, he had a giant white hound running by his side and CeKay immediately knew that this was no ordinary animal. Since they had seen her she stopped Steelsong and sat there, waiting for them to approach her. She needed to make them trust her, to make them tell her all they knew. In all there were at least twelve elves approaching her, most servants or warriors and all were armed. She wore no visible weapons and that probably made them think she was a lunatic. She bowed her head a little, as a sign of respect but not of submission and the huge white hound tilted its head and watched her with some sort of uncanny intelligence. For a moment she felt something trying to enter her mind and she shut it out immediately but not in a unfriendly manner. This was no animal, that was for darn sure but did its master know this?

The tall ellon with the silvery blonde hair made a sardonic grin. "Fingolfin's whore, out on her own. Have you grown bored of him already?"

CeKay didn't allow him to agitate her. "No, I am out gathering information about the enemy"

The twins looked at each other and the hound sort of whimpered. "It is a reckless thing to do, alone like that. You carry no weapons?"

She had no idea of which of the twins it was who spoke, they were so alike it was almost eerie and she sensed that these two were less cynical and perhaps more friendly than their older brother. " I do rarely need weapons"

Celegorm stared at Steelsong, there as wonder in his eyes. "I have never seen a horse like that, he looks fast"

CeKay smiled internally, it worked, they focused on the unusual steed and forgot about her. "He is"

The hound was constantly staring at her, it was trying to figure her out and she sensed that this creature was powerful in a way ordinary dogs are not. It had some sort of ancient wisdom within its gaze and she smiled and gestured towards it. "An impressive hound, where did you get it?"

Celegorm couldn't help but smile, a bit proud. "He was a gift from Oromë himself, his name is Huan"

CeKay hid a grin, dog. Who calls his hound dog? Well, naming animals were not her job anyhow. She nodded. "Looks like a very strong animal"

Celegorm bent down from the saddle and ruffled the hounds thick fur. "He is, a good hunter"

CeKay tilted her heads. "The scouts speak of wargs, and they claim they are fast?"

The twins nodded in unison. "They are, and they are very enduring too, they can run for hours."

CeKay tried to think logically. "Do you think they are a natural animal the dark lord has transformed or something he has constructed?"

Celegorm made a grimace. "They were wolves, I am pretty sure of that. I don't think the dark lord is able to actually create anything on his own, he has to corrupt other beings in order to create the monsters of his."

CeKay took a deep breath. "Then his powers are limited, great yes but he isn't omnipotent"

The elves stared at her with narrow eyes, the twins looked at each other and Celegorm had a suspicious expression within his eyes. "You are no ordinary female, I can sense it. I think we have underestimated you"

Huan whimpered and turned around and CeKay felt that the creature somehow tried to make sure that his master didn't learn of CeKay's true nature. "You may have, it remains to be seen. Have you encountered anything else worth mentioning?"

One of the twins made a grimace. "Some of our hunters caught an orc, and they…interrogated it. It didn't tell much useful but it did squeak something about serpents of fire, on four legs."

She frowned. "Was it something the dark lord is ready to unleash?"

The redhead shook his head. "No, it was still something the dark forces are working on. Not done yet for sure."

CeKay swore within, it did sound ominous and she didn't like it at all. Maybe it was time for her to do some interrogating on her own? "If you should happen to see something like that, do not approach it. I bet the bastard is able to form weapons too terrible to describe."

The question was how he did it, what sort of powers did he really possess? She had to find out. Celegorm spat on the ground. "I served Oromë and my former master were aghast learning of the things the fallen vala have done to the creatures of these lands."

CeKay found it odd that the valar were shocked by what Morgoth did, and yet they just sat there, passively, watching him ruin so much. Either they were downright lazy or they didn't dare to take action, why?

She sighed and petted Steelsong. "Thank you for the little chat, I am off to find some Sindar, to hear if they have something to tell me"

Celegorm sneered. "Dark elves? Good luck, they are below us in every way, do not trust them to give you good information."

CeKay sent him a stern glance, was this elf a racist? Obviously, she disliked him even more. "That is something I will be the judge of thank you"

She bowed her head to the twins and let Steelsong run off but not faster than an ordinary horse, no point in revealing too much. The elves stared after her but she didn't care, she rode south for a while until she met a row of low rolling hills and followed a river eastwards. She didn't need to rest but as night fell she pretended to be making a simple camp. She guessed that the sindar elves would show themselves when they felt ready for it, they were hardly any more primitive than the noldor, a people able to thrive and survive in this environment had to be tough and hardy and smart, not the least smart. She sat there watching the stars and expanded her senses, feeling every living being in her surroundings. She was amused by the amount of life there, it was such a thriving world and yet it was threatened by this dark vala. It was truly sad.

She had sat there for a while when she felt something approach her, she tensed up and felt that this was no elf. She cocked her head in astonishment when she saw that it was Huan. The great hound jogged forth and sat down in front of her, staring at her with those odd eyes. She took a deep breath. "You are here but not because your master asked you to, what do you want?"

The hound seemed to shiver and shrink and change and suddenly she stared at a naked male, seemingly an elf but he felt different, more powerful. "Celegorm may call himself my master but he is not, I am my own and I do still obey my first lord."

CeKay had to grin, so many secrets. "You are a maia then"

The former hound nodded, he was very sleek and did still look like a predator. "Yes, of Oromë."

CeKay frowned. "Do explain, why would your lord give you to an elf, even a Fëanorion?"

Huan grinned. "Oromë does care of these lands, he loves them but he cannot do anything, he isn't allowed to return. I am his eyes here, he wishes to help but his brethren won't permit it."

CeKay felt that she was onto something there. "Why not?"

Huan sighed. "The valar were born from Eru's own mind, and they are all siblings, but some are closer than the others. Melkor was the brother of Manwë, our king. And Manwë still believe that his brother can be…rehabilitated. Plus, he does fear that by destroying Melkor he will be destroying himself"

CeKay made a grimace, that did explain quite a lot. "What do you think?"

The maia made a grimace. "Melkor is beyond salvation, he has to be thrown into the void, to be banished from Arda for all time to come. But we have no idea of how we are to accomplish such a task without causing even greater damage in the process. He will not go down quietly, that is for darn sure."

CeKay nodded. "I have understood this much too. He is rather set on reshaping everything in his image right?"

Huan nodded. "Yes, and that is why I sought you out. You are no maia, not of Arda at all. I can sense it"

CeKay sighed, grimaced. "You are right, like you I was created by someone very powerful. Does Celegorm know you are a maia?"

The former hound shook his head. "Heck no, he thinks I am just a hound, large yes, and blessed by Oromë. He is a good master for he loves all sorts of beasts, too bad he doesn't have the same skills with people. He thinks I am out hunting, he doesn't know that I went to find you"

CeKay nodded firmly, finding a better position in which to sit. "So why did you come here?"

Huan stared at her, the eyes were the same now as in his hound shape. "You can make a difference, change things. There are things foretold which can ruin everything, but by being here you can help the elves and perhaps prevent disasters from happening. "

CeKay frowned. "You are talking of altering history itself"

The maia nodded. "Yes, do you have a problem with that?"

CeKay remembered the rules given to explorers, never to intervene with the natural development of the planets and civilizations they encountered. But she had never been made to obey those directives, she was after all a soldier. "No, not really" ¨

The maia transformed back to a hound again. "Good, I will contact you, in the meantime do try to stay safe, and don't let the enemy learn about your true nature. If he does find out that there are other worlds out there who knows what he might do"

Cekay felt a chill running down her spine, oh damnation, she started to believe that maybe it was fate and not sheer chance which had landed her on this planet. A creature like Morgoth on the loose out there among the countless worlds of the explored universe? Now that was a horrible thought. " I will try"

The dog just nodded and turned around, disappeared into the darkness and CeKay sat there feeling a bit odd. Could she really use her full potential without endangering others? She had no idea. But she still had to learn more of the enemy, if she was to do anything useful she would have to gain as much information as possible. She sat there until the sun rose, then she rode off again. She kept riding for two days until she reached a fortified settlement populated by sindar elves, she stopped Steelsong within hearing range of the walls and she just waited. It took a while, then a rider appeared through the gates, it was a warrior and he wore armour and a sword. CeKay remained passive, sitting there until he stopped his horse next to her, staring at her with wide eyes. "You are no sinda, and no avarin, Are you a noldo?"

She bowed her head. "I did arrive with the host of Fingolfin, but I am no noldo!"

The warrior frowned. "You are alone, unarmed, on a horse which shines like silver. You are either mad or extremely powerful"

CeKay had to grin. "I am CeKay, and I am not as mad as you may think"

The warrior swallowed. " I am known as Angrion, what are you doing out here if you came with the brother of Fëanor?"

CeKay tilted her head and smiled sweetly. " I am gathering information about the enemy, the elves arriving from Aman knows so little of the situation here and they know even less of the dangers they do meet here."

Angrion pressed his lips together. "Information? Then I think there is someone you need to meet"

She felt a surge of curiosity. "Really? Then show me to him"

Angrion nodded. " I will, you carry no weapons, or else I would have asked you to surrender them to me."

She kept the sweet smile. "I do not need a blade, the only weapon I need is myself"

The elf did look a bit nervous but he turned his horse and CeKay rode after him, the settlement wasn't large, it could perhaps house a hundred elves and most she saw when she entered the gates were warriors. They all wore armour and they seemed hardened and rough. Many stared at her horse and fewer bothered looking at her, she smiled to herself. They stopped in front of a stable and the stable hands came to get the horses and were obviously a bit shocked to see that her horse wore no tack at all. "You ride like an avarin elf, and your horse doesn't resemble any breed we have heard of."

CeKay had to grin. "He is pretty unique yes"

The warrior did look puzzled but gestured for her to follow him. "This fortress is under the command of lord Baralin of Doriath, we are here to keep an eye on Morgoth and report if he makes a move towards the south"

She saw that the fortress was a very well equipped one, these were bold warriors and they needed to be too, they were rather close to the dark lords area still. "You are brave then"

Angrion grimaced. "We are needed, that is the truth."

He entered one of the buildings and CeKay could smell herbs and ointments, this was an infirmary. Angrion stopped and whispered to a female elf clad in a sort of uniform, she seemed to be rather wise and ancient and her eyes were piercing and clear. The female gestured for them to follow and they came into a new room, it was small and not very well lighted but warm and comfortable and there was a bed in there and some chairs. Angrion made a grimace. "This is Fimrion, he was caught by the enemy and kept as a slave for many years but he managed to escape due to a landslide."

CeKay stared at the figure in the bed, she could hardly believe what she saw. The elf had lost an arm and was covered with scars. He was almost bald and his ears appeared to have been cut off, and one eye was white and blind. He was breathing in a funny way and CeKay realized that this was a dying elf. He had to have gotten away just because of sheer stubbornness. She sat down slowly, stared at the elf who turned his head, the seeing eye glittered in the faint light. "That is a sight for sore eyes, what is your name fair lady?"

The voice was hoarse and almost growling and she understood that his vocal cords were damaged. She leaned forth and grasped his remaining hand, held it firmly. "I am CeKay. You have knowledge of the enemy?"

Fimrion coughed. "Yes, what do you want me to tell you about?"

She took a deep breath. "Save your strength, and your voice. I can access your mind and see for myself, if you permit it?"

Fimrion grinned, most of his teeth were missing and he was skin and bones. "I can sense something odd about you lady, you are not of us but a creature of light, yes, do enter my mind but be warned, the things you will see will shock you"

She nodded. "I do not doubt that, but I need to learn as much as possible of the dark lord and his minions. "

He made a grimace. "Then do it, I do not have long time left, I worked in the mines and my lungs are damaged by all the dust. There are limits for what even an elf can take."

She concentrated, let her energy patterns mingle with the electrical patterns of his brain and started to interpret them as memories, as images and sensations. What she saw did make her gasp and coil back, she hadn't expected anything like this. No wonder why the dark lord was so feared, and so powerful. And the sufferings she saw were beyond description, it was a kingdom born out of hatred and fear, built on terror and agony and the beasts she saw were in no better shape than the slaves. The avarin shaman was right, the orcs were bred and born in hatred of what they could have been, and the same was true for all the other monsters there. They feared their master and hated him but only he could offer them solace through endless bloodshed and violence. She released her hold on the elf's mind and felt an urge to cleanse herself somehow, she stored the memories in a special file, she didn't want to access them by accident.

"I did see it, all of it. I cannot believe that you did survive this"

Fimrion lifted his arm in a obscene gesture. "I am a stubborn one, I would have loved to piss that bastard straight in the eye. Now I cannot do that anymore, but I bet that you can"

CeKay smiled. "I doubt that I will piss him in the eye but I can become a thorn in his side for sure"

Fimrion chuckled. "That is what I am talking about, do cause him anguish yes? Ruin his plans"

CeKay felt how the energy of this elf was waning, he was truly dying and for a moment she wondered if she should try to heal his injuries but there was something in his expression which made her turn away from that idea. He had accepted his fate and was ready to leave his ruined body behind and she wasn't one to force such things onto others. It would be cruel. "I will do my very best"

She shook his hand again, he had shown her so much and she bit her teeth together and knew that she now could do something useful. Angrion had been silent the whole time and he frowned. "You are no elf, what are you truly?"

Cekay didn't want to reveal too much, even to friendly ones. If the enemy caught even one as hardened as Angrion he would eventually speak. "Something new, something the dark lord ought to fear"

The warrior nodded slowly. "Then I pray that he one day will. His orcs and beasts are a menace and we do whatever we can to keep our realms safe but they are so many, and so ruthless"

CeKay growled. "I know, I thank you for the help, I think I will return to Fingolfin's camp now, I have the information I need"

Angrion followed her back outside and CeKay sent him a friendly smile. "I thank you for the help, now I can form plans"

Angrion nodded. "Fimrion is just one of many, so many are enslaved by that monster and I cannot bare the thought of what they are going through. Do help them"

CeKay knew what to do now, what she needed to change before the elves dared to attack the fortress. " I will"

She walked over to Steelsong and mounted the horse in a fleeting movement. "I know my task now, please take care, and do not allow any more to be taken. "

Angrion grimaced. "We will try"

CeKay turned Steelsong. "Good, we will meet again"

She spurred the horse and rushed out through the gates, she knew that the lord of the fortress probably would have wanted to speak to her but she had better things to do now. She let Steelsong stretch out and rode back the way she had come. She had been riding for a whole day when she suddenly felt an odd presence and she slowed down. It felt as if something was wrong, the very land itself did mumble of darkness and death and the trees were wailing as if in fear. She frowned, something was approaching her, something dark and very dangerous and she bared her teeth. Of course, her actions had been noticed by the dark lord, he most certainly had sent out something rather bad to look for the cause of the odd happenings. Could whatever it was sense that she was the cause the balrogs had lost their powers?

She grimaced, of course it could. The dark lord would never send something flawed or weak to investigate something that severe, it had probably honed in on her already and she knew she would have to fight this time. She dragged her energy tighter around herself, let just a small amount be visible. She had to appear to be more than an elf but not something too powerful. The energy of the land around her got warped, and she felt a chill. She activated Steelsong's combat programs and then she herself went into fighting mode. Now it was a waiting game and she rode slowly forth, like someone who doesn't suspect any dangers at all.

She was being watched from a hill nearby, two huge figures sat astride a giant warg each and they stared at the rider with glowing red eyes. It was a female, apparently an elf and a very powerful one, but still just an elf. Maybe one from Aman? The hunters were confident and had reason to be, they were among their masters prime creations and they had always been twisted and dark. They lived to serve him and their greatest joy was to follow his bidding.

This rider could be the one responsible for the loss of the balrogs, it wasn't very likely since it wasn't that strong but they had felt her from a distance and as the rest of the creatures of Morgoth they hated the beings of light intensely. That in itself was reason enough to attack. They split up and knew that they could trap the rider in a small valley up ahead, it was a dead end and it would be like a mouse cornered by a cat. They gave a shout to their steeds and the huge wargs ran forth, teeth bared and eyes gleaming with anticipation.

CeKay saw that two creatures appear and she realized what they were trying to do, she smiled and made Steelsong run, straight into the trap. The creatures had a humanoid shape but they were cloaked in black and she sensed that they had to be some sort of maiar. Different from the balrogs and probably more powerful too. This would be a challenge. She rode hard and prepared herself, she would have to strike hard and suddenly, not allowing her opponents to gather for a counterattack. They were flesh and bone and yet not, she could feel that they were some sort of very ancient spirits and they were bound to darkness forever. So they hated the light? Good! For there would be light for sure.

She reached the cliff at the end of the canyon and had to turn Steelsong around as if she was trying to find a way out. The front rider was already close by and the huge black warg charged at the silvery steed. It was used to felling horses and lunged forwards, jaws wide open to bite through the animal's neck. The moment the warg closed its jaws it sealed its own doom, hard spikes of steel shout out of the horse's slender neck and pierced the warg'a palate, entering the brain. The beast died with a whimper, falling like a log and the rider let out a piercing wail of disbelief. The other rider did hesitate, and that was when Steelsong lowered its head and ran straight at the warg, seemingly set on ramming it. The Warg tried to turn around and a horn shot out from the forehead of the horse, it was glowing hot and pierced the side of the warg like a knife through warm butter. The warg let out a shriek and fell in convulsions and the two riders were without mounts, and the shock sort of paralyzed them for a few seconds. Nothing had ever harmed their mounts and before anger could manifest itself in their minds the rider transformed into a creature which glowed like the huge orb on the sky.

They shrieked, backed off to protect their eyes and CeKay extended her arms, formed them into blades and they pierced the chests of both the creatures but these were not mortal beings. A stab to the chest wouldn't harm them for long. She let the very tip of the blades transform into plasma, hotter than the surface of a star, for a few seconds the chests of the two creatures did glow from within, then they simply exploded and pieces of their physical beings were raining down around her. She swiftly absorbed their energy the same way she had with the balrogs and grinned widely. They hadn't anticipated that the mouse in a corner in truth was a monster like themselves. She let her nanites go to work on the carcasses of the wargs, they dissolved them completely and let the bodies return to the earth. The two riders shared the same fate, even the armours were dissolved and CeKay knew that the dark lord would be utterly confused now, and frustrated. Excellent, if he was busy trying to solve that mystery he wouldn't be able to keep an eye on his own fortress, for that was where she was heading, if the elves were to attack Angband they wouldn't want to risk the lives of the slaves, so she had to free them. She petted Steelsong again and her eyes were shining as she gathered some speed. Things were going to change, the dark lord would discover that things no longer would be easy to accomplish.