Rand and the Ring: Chapter 5: Illian's Counter-Offensive and Tear's visitor
Whatever it was that Radagast had done, worked.
All the fatigue that normally comes from over extending one's self in use of the one power, was gone. Rand decided to make full use of his renewed energy by using the one power directly in battle. Specifically, the weave 'Blossoms of Fire' on the rear of the enemy army.
Standing on high to look over the battlefield, that was slowly reaching the city, Rand looked for an open area near the enemy ranks. Finding a spot, and the poor man that occupied it, Rand-along with Marcolin and a few dozen Companions-made a very short 'Skimming'portal to appear behind the enemy lines, where it opened up -cutting the single guard in half, vertically.
The Companions would guard his back and flanks while he would try to decimate the enemy without hitting his own troops.
Six bars of fire less than the width of a large man's forearm, and about ten feet tall, these bars could then be made to explode to thirty feet across, incinerating and throwing enemies across the battlefield. "Blossoms of Fire" was the name of the weave...
Rand could've sworn that he'd heard someone say 'charge!' just before he sent out another 6 bars to explode.
(This weave is essentially creating bombs...in rapid succession, not unlike carpet-bombing)
Keeping to Radagast's words, Rand hoped he'd turned the tide enough before he, and the Companions, Skimmed back to safety in the city after unleashing a half-dozen waves of those devastating weaves.
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Essenia, Illian, Tammaz Square, Great Hall of the Council: 8hrs later
"Yes, i'll be bringing around half of all the Defenders of Tear here in the next day or so"-Rand said in reply to something someone had said.
After Rand unleashed some effective fury, earlier that day, the enemy troops were routed and killed...except a few hundred or so that managed to flee with their ships. Though Rand had come to realize there were worse things than killing, he still didn't enjoy it...far from it. War was terrible, regardless of the situation or circumstance...
"Does anyone have any idea as to how many people they took away on their ships"-Rand was asking the 'Council of Nine' members that were currently in Illian.
"We suspect, several thousand at least..."-Spiron Narettin said with a grimace.
No one liked the thought of their people being taken as slaves...
"We'll need to get our people freed before they can be sold-off and brought, who knows where...suggestions?"-Rand asked
Simply 'Traveling' to the enemy nation with his armies wouldn't work...they'd likely turn the ships around and sail somewhere else...
"We have our own fleet of merchant ships we could use to go after them..."-Jeordwyn Semaris offerred.
"Okay, but they got a good 2 days head-start on us...how would we catch-up to them in time?-Rand asked
"And before you assume, i would need Ter'angreal, that i don't have, to manipulate the winds to our advantage"-Rand said as everyone was looking at him and he could clearly see their solution all over their faces.
No one could answer his question as several silent minutes passed.
"Could we, um, 'Travel' there with troops and block the routes in and out of the city?"-Gregorian den Lushenos offered.
"I thought of that as well, however, it is likely that they'd simply use their ships to flee..."-Rand said to the proposition by his 'Steward' when he was away.
"Okay, can anyone think of a way to easily and quickly block a port without ships or the one-power?"-Rand said, hoping a more...constructive discussion could be gained.
"Well...if we tied all of Essenia's fishing nets together and tying picks so that any ships passing over would get stuck. Then anchored them with boulders, we would effectively block the straits of Umbar?"-Eliris Mancuri offered.
"It could work..."-Marac den Norvin said in a contemplative matter.
"We'd have to set sail for all available fishing vessels with all the netting that can be found. Also-"
Rand sat and listened to the Council members formulate a plan to get their people back. He himself would merely open the Gateway to get people in and out...
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-Near the Shire:
Upon returning to the Shire, Gandalf immediately went to Frodo and confirmed his suspicions by throwing the Ring into Frodo's hearth fire, which revealed, in Black Speech, the inscription upon the ring.
Gandalf then told a dumbfounded Frodo about the One Ring and its history, and how Sauron would seek to regain Frodo to go to Rivendell with the ring, Gandalf told him to make arrangements to leave the Shire quietly.
Leaving a note for Frodo with Barliman Butterbur, an inn-keeper in Bree, Gandalf left for Isengard to speak with Saruman. Once there, however, Gandalf discovered that Saruman wanted the One Ring to himself and declared himself Saruman of Many Colours.
He tried to convince Gandalf to either join with him in service to Sauron, so that they could eventually control the Dark Lord and thus achieve good ends, though through evil means, or to help him find the One Ring so they could take power from Sauron. Gandalf refused, and was held prisoner at the top of the tower Orthanc.
After spending a while as Saruman's prisoner, Gandalf was eventually rescued by Gwaihir the Eagle, who had previously been coming from the land known as Tear. Gandalf humbly asked, after giving thanks for the rescue, if it would be possible to return there once again. Gwaihir grudgingly accepted Gandalf's request, considering the situation, but also made Gandalf promise to uphold a favor in the future.
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Essenia, Tear, Hall of the Stone: several days later;
This had not been the welcome Gandalf had in mind. Then again, from what he'd been informed, the city of Illian had been besieged and they were currently initiating a counter attack against the Umbar. None of the people he'd asked knew when Rand Al'Thor would return and simply told him to wait, all the while giving him cold stares.
They didn't trust him at all. No, but they did grant him an 'emissary' position of sorts at least.
'Knock' 'Knock'
"Enter"-Gandalf replied to the knocking on his quaters' door.
"Sir Gandalf, High Lady Fionnda Annariz, has requested your presence"-the man said with a bow.
"Lead the way, if you would"-Gandalf said in response.
Gandalf didn't know why a noble of this nation wanted to see him, but he was intrigued none-the-less at the chance to learn more of these people. They walked through several corridors and a few flights of stairs before coming to a large, intimidating, set of doors.
A vast Hall stretched before him as the doors were opened and his name was announced. At the far end a small group of people, only a few of which were actually seated, asked for him to join them. Taking a seat, Gandalf asked to the purpose of the meeting...
"Sir Gandalf, I hear you wished to speak with the Lord Dragon, may i inquire as to why?"-The High Lady Fionnda asked.
"Well, there will be a meeting taking place soon that may very well determine the fate of middle earth-"-Gandalf said but at the confused looks to 'middle-earth', decided an explanation was in order.
"Ah, middle-earth...hmmm, i guess you could call it the entire landmass that we reside on, where the borders of middle-earth are that of the vast oceans on all its coastlines."-Gandalf explained.
"I see, understood, continue if you would please"-Fionnda replied, nodding as she said so.
"Figuring that your nation is one of the most powerful, and that young Al'Thor may be able to contribute in the discussions, i've decided to ask him to join as well."-Gandalf said, not really knowing what to say. He didn't honestly know if this Fionnda Annariz was trustworthy or not after all.
"And when will this meeting be taking place?"-Fionnda asked before taking a sip of what Gandalf guessed was wine.
"I'm not too sure at the moment, however...if everyone arrives within a reasonable time, then roughly 3 weeks?"-Gandalf said in contemplation as he ran his hand through his beard in a thoughtful gesture.
"Considering what has happened to Illian, the Lord Dragon may be away for some time yet..."-Fionnda said.
"What exactly did happen? I've only heard that it was besieged..."-Gandalf said, wanting to know more about their situation.
"Well, from what i know of our last meeting with Rand Al Thor a few days ago; The Umbar laid siege to the city of Illian and only half was burnt to the ground thanks to the Lord Dragon's efforts to save it. He also was able to turn the battle in favor of the defenders, thanks to a...Radagast? Yes i think that was the name, Radagast was able to help the Lord Dragon somehow but he didn't say how."-Fionnda was saying.
"Radagast? My cousin is still in the nation?"-Gandalf interrupted, surprised that Radagast was still here and not on his way back already.
"So he's your cousin huh? Hmmm, well, yes, to the best of my knowledge though it is a few days old..."-Fionnda replied, a little annoyed at being interrupted.
"Ahem, continuing on; The Lord Dragon came here after the city of Illian was secured and the invaders were turned back. He held a meeting with us and left the next day with around half of Tear's military. I've heard nothing since then..."-Fionnda finished.
"Hmmmm, that is troubling to here, i'm sorry for the people of Illian"-Gandalf said sadly.
"Indeed, Illian is about the same size as Tear after all"-Fionnda said, momentarily imagining her city in flames...
"Let us speak no more of such heavy thoughts me Lady, tell me about your people and the world you come from"-Gandalf said, truly curious to learn more about these people...
Fionnda smiled, "Only if you tell me about this world, Sir Gandalf..."
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Umbar, City of Corsairs
Rand stood on a balcony of some kind of palace within the city of Corsairs. The past few days they'd managed to take not only the 'Havens of Umbar' but this city as well. The plan with the nets had worked, for the most part, and they were currently in process of rounding up their people, freeing slaves, and dealing with the remaining pockets of resistance.
The 'Havens of Umbar' turned out to be a hard fought battle with all its fortifications, not to mention the...people there who had used some form of the One Power against them. After dealing with them and the largest fortifications however, they'd taken the fortified harbor in short order. Those 'sorcerer's' as they were called were dangerous if they were to group together. Not as dangerous as a full Aes Sedai, a step below perhaps, but they were eventually defeated after he'd started launching 'death-gates' at them...
"Lord Dragon, the city is ours! The last of the remaining resistance is on the run into the countryside..."
"Good to hear, Demetre"
"Casualties?"-Rand asked, dreading the answer...
"Uhh, i, umm"
"Answer me Marcolin!"-Rand yelled, everyone knew how he was now. He hated that people would die because of his actions.
"Since the start of the 'Havens', where most of our losses were, we're guessing somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000"-Demetre said in a low voice.
"Combined with how many losses in Illian?"-Rand said glumily.
"Including civilians? Upwards of 35,000 my king"-Demetre said sadly.
"And all because i lost it when i first met with these people..."-Rand said quietly.
"It would have happened eventually...from occasional raids and kidnappings, to the eventual battles"
"I think, that overall, this may have been the best way. This could have gone on for years if you hadn't declared war"
"Still, thousands died because of my actions...again"-Rand said, the last word barely a whisper.
"Sire, if the soldiers hadn't been through that hell of Tarmon Gaidon, we'd likely have lost a lot more troops".
"With Illian the way it is at present, annexing these two cities will help a lot with trade and the rebuilding of Illian."
"That's true i suppose..."-Rand said, trailing off.
"Lord Al'Thor, i recommend you take a break from this and see whats going on in Tear...or perhaps head to Gondor since your behind in getting reports there."-Marcolin offered to his king, wanting him to take a break from everything.
(!)
"I completely forgot about the reports!"-Rand exclaimed
"I wonder what Ballin Elamri has been up to in the past couple weeks?"-Rand asked, curious at what that ingenious merchant had managed to do since he'd last seen him.
"Why not go and find out sir? Though you may want to go to Tear first and tell them of our current situation..."-Demetre Marcolin advised.
"Thanks, Demetre, i'll do that since its past the appointed meeting time anyways so i'll go to Gondor tomorrow"-Rand said.
"I hope to see you soon, and in better spirits, me Lord"-Demetre said with a bow as Rand opened a portal and stepped through...
"...me too..."-Rand said quietly as the portal closed behind him as he Skimmed back to Tear.
A/N
I know this chapter is a bit on the shorter side, but i'm going to be focusing more on this than others for a while.
-Also, towards the end i realized that i've screwed up the timeline a bit...I guess that's okay since it's going to change a lot anyway. Especially since Rand has basically taken out the 'Evil Men' part of the equation in the battle for Middle-Earth. So, in this regard, Gondor's military will not be spread as thin in the eventual battle...