Chapter 13: Revelation
Rohan; Helm's Deep:
Rand Al'Thor commanded, his very presence demanded it. He was a commander, ruler of men, of that there was no doubt. His being there dominated the room, it was as if an unknown force lured one to follow his lead...
"We should launch a counter-offensive against this 'Isengaurd'"-Rand said.
"If we do not, Saruman's retribution will be swift, merciless."-Gandalf, more or less agreed.
"Do we have the men to take such a place?"-Theoden asked, trying to hold onto something he could accept and understand after Al'Thor's massacre...
"With Rand Al'Thor, we should be fine with the men we have."-Aragorn commented, casting a sideways glance towards Rand.
"This Orthanc, or Isengard, you speak of, what is it exactly Gandalf?"-Rand asked Gandalf
"Orthanc, at Isengard, is an impenetrable tower, surrounded by an old forest...although..."-Gandalf said as he turned and regarded Al'Thor.
"Your power and ability puts that to question i believe..."-Gandalf finished saying.
"Saruman himself will not stand idly by while Rand Al'Thor here attacks it."-Aragorn said.
"Bah, after seeing the after-math of his attack on the army that besieged us, i doubt the dog could do much to us."-Gimli said, 'Humphing' at the end.
"We should not take Saruman lightly"-Legolas interjected.
"He is, after-all, a powerful sorcerer."-Legolas finished.
"Regardless, we should go and crush him while he is weakened."-Rand said in response to all this.
"Do not take the most powerful of my kin so lightly Al'Thor..."-Gandalf said quietly.
"Worry not Gandalf, i shall treat him as one of the Forsaken, no mercy will be shown"-Rand said.
That troubled Gandalf...'no mercy shown', even though Sauroman was an enemy and had done wrong, he still thought that he could be persuaded to 'come around' and rejoin the cause of the mortals.
And what was a 'Forsaken'?
"So, after we attack this 'Isengard', should we not attack Mordor itself? I will assure you that i will bolster the effort with my own troops"-Rand said into the momentary silence.
"We will have to go to Gondor first and consolidate our forces"-Aragorn said.
Rand looked around the room, taking in the looks that the others had, they were grim but determined.
"Can we expect reinforcement from your peoples', Legolas, Gimli?"-Rand asked the two.
"No, i highly doubt so"-Legolas said in response.
Gimli snorted.
"My people are already engaged with Mordor's forces, i reckon"-Gimli replied.
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"Look! The gate...its opening!"-Sam said to Frodo.
Frodo just watches in silence as the army of men from far-off places marches towards the Black Gates of Mordor.
"I can see a way down!"-Sam suddenly says, as he peers over the ledge, right before falling down the slope.
"Sam! Noo!"-Frodo panics as his friend falls.
"Masssta!"-Gollum cries out as Frodo goes after Sam down the slope.
Unable to free Sam, Frodo hides them under his cloak as two men approach to investigate the falling debri, Frodo and Sam appear to be a simple rock at their feet before they shrug and turn around to rejoin the marching soldiers.
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Isengard, Orthanc:
Rand, with his Saidin enhanced vision, could make out the details of the tower called Orthanc.
"It would appear as though someone has already laid siege to the tower".-Rand commented.
"Indeed"-Gandalf agreed.
"Well, let's go and introduce ourselves to those that got here first!"-Gimli said, a little disappointed that he had missed out on the action.
"It was likely a very small force that attacked Isengard, seeing as how the dam seems to have been destroyed..."-Aragorn said after surveying all the water that was prevalent everywhere.
Legolas, as always, kept a vigilant watch around them in case of an ambush.
"Wait a minute, are those tree's walking around!?"-Rand suddenly exclaimed as they left the cover of the forest and overlooked the area.
Gandalf simply grumbled an incoherent response, while the rest also made grunts or no reply at all.
Moving down the slope and towards the tower, they came upon Merry and Pippen, smoking, drinking, and feasting. Their smiles were welcoming and their eyes shined as they sat upon the ledge, enjoying themselves.
"Welcome, my Lords...to Isengard!"-Merry announced, with a light slur to his words, to the approaching group as he stood up.
"You young rascals!"-Gimli began.
Gimli grumbles a bit about looking for them..."-and now we find you feasting..a-a-and smoking!"
"We are sitting, on a field of victory...enjoying a few well-earned comforts."-Pippen says in reply.
Merry smiles and puffs out some smoke, smiling at them.
"The salted pork, is particularly good"-Pippen says.
..."salted pork..."-Gimli says...speechless for a moment as he thinks about food.
...
"We're under orders, from Treebeard...we've taken over management of Isengard"-Merry says.
A short while later, they approach the tower and confront Saruman.
(What happens is the same as in the movies with one key difference...)
After Saruman dies, Pippen notices the glowing orb in the water and goes to it.
However, Rand beats him to it.
"Lord Rand Al'Thor, let me take it, please...it is dangerous..."-Gandalf says, riding up next to him.
"I wish to study this Gandalf...later..."-Rand says, studying the orb.
"Rand Al'Thor...Give it to me! Sauron can corrupt those who possess it...i'm the best choice to hold onto it."-Gandalf says, going from aggressive to pleading by the end.
Rand shakes his head-"No Gandalf, fear not, for i am not so easily corrupted...you can have it after a few days...".
Gandalf is upset, and the rest of their group is looking at Rand, troubled by their argument, but make no comments.
...
...
..
While everyone is celebrating the victory at Helm's Deep, Rand returns to Essenia...
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Essenia; Tear:
Stepping out of the 'Gate-room', inside the Stone of Tear, the guards notice Rand carrying an object heavily wrapped in a thick cloth. Rand notices their curious looks and gestures them to remain silent...they nod their understanding.
Rand knew the enemy could gain intel from it, so he kept it wrapped and tried to keep to as little speaking as possible.
Some time later, after shushing all those who came to him to remain quiet and leave him alone with orders not to disturb him, Rand locked himself within his study to investigate the intriguing orb.
With some trepidation, Rand unwrapped the Palantir...
Almost immediately, the orb glowed and a flaming eye was seen within it, evil emanated from it.
"So you are the evil being of this world, huh?"-Rand mocked it.
The orb pulsed and the flaming Eye flared in response to his words before a...shadowy-voice began a loud, resounding whisper.
"All will be mine...you have no hope..."
Rand scoffed in reply-"I've faced worse than you, you lie"
"The world of men is at an end...everything is under my domain...as it-"
"I guess you can't hear me...huh, i wonder how to-"-Rand said, voicing his thought aloud.
"Foolish mortal, your words mean nothing...-"
"Foolish...mortal...perhaps, but i am always reborn..."-Rand tells it with a smirk, trying to instill mockery towards it to get a rise out of the strange being.
Rand's view of the flaming eye, zoomed in until he could see a figure-cloaked in darkness- within, full of malice and hate.
The room he was in suddenly seemed to darken more and a sense of...pressure began to build...
Rand smiled, this being was easily enraged and prone to intimidating others it would seem.
"You and all you hold dear will suffer for-"
"Yes, yes, i've heard much the same from a being much more powerful and evil than you before...you are nothing...a foot-note in the pages of history that-"
"Impudent mortal! Your insolence shall be your d-"
"I will be your doom!"-Rand shouted at it, cutting it off and re-wrapping it.
Rand sat there in silence for a while...
Perhaps it was not the wisest choice he'd made, but then again, he never had claimed to be 'wise'. Rash...Impulsive...but things usually worked out for him in the end.
He knew evil...how could he not? He was born again through-out the ages to combat it after-all.
"Assuming I have angered it enough to focus it's attention on me...hmmm"-Rand mused aloud before walking to the door.
Opening the door, he told one of the guards outside the room to summon the military commanders' that were currently within the Stone to meet him in the 'War-Room'.
One does not anger the most evil being in the world without consequences...
(As Sauron does not say much in cannon, it's hard to get a grasp on what he'd say)
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Rohan:
Everyone was drinking and having a great time. Gandalf even noted the Legolas was drinking, apparently having some kind of drinking contest with the dwarf, Gimli.
It was good to see so many happy faces in such dark times...
"Gandalf"-Aragorn said, walking up from behind to stand next to him as he continued looking over the festivities in the hall.
"Who...or what is Rand Al'Thor...exactly?"-Aragorn asked with a hard look on his face.
'It seems as though a diversion from the truth will not suffice this time'-Gandalf thought.
Gandalf remained silent for a time...he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, that Gimli fell backwards and asleep from too much drink as Legolas had started looking at his fingers in confusion at the tingling sensation he felt.
"Very well...but not here. Come, follow me."-Gandalf said as he began walking out of the hall.
...
"Before i say anything, i must have you swear an oath to never speak of anything i say here Aragorn"-Gandalf said in such a way that Aragorn was nervous, almost afraid at how serious Gandalf was being.
"...Very well, I swear that i will never speak of anything that you tell me this night"-Aragorn swears to Gandalf, feeling a slight tingle throughout his body...making him wonder if-
Gandalf-"Do you remember my story about what happened with Durin's Bane(Balrog), back in the Mines of Moria?"
"Of course, i was overjoyed that you had survived to.."-Aragorn began.
Gandalf-"That's not entirely true, though i did defeat that demon, i did die."
Aragorn's shock and the obvious question forming on his lips as Gandalf held up his hand.
"But what came next..."-Gandalf trailed off...his eyes 'sparkled', seeing something other than what was around him.
Aragorn was very intrigued, many were curious about what happens after...passing.
A smile formed on Gandalf's face-"...I looked around at the Timeless Halls of Eru in awe..."-he goes silent for a time...obviously revisiting it in his mind.
The far-away look turned more focused as he looked Aragorn in the eye..."My knowledge of Rand comes directly from the creator of all, Eru Illuvatar"-Gandalf said.
"What i'm about to say, should not be known..."
Aragorn nodded his head in reply, understanding what Gandalf meant.
"The next thing i say is a word-by-word recount of 'exactly' what Eru told me of Rand, though it may be a bit...choppy as other things were spoken of".
"'He is my chosen child on another world, who very recently fought my antithesis and saved that world, once more'"...
Aragorn's shock is apparent, Gandalf could relate to that...
"'Already he is causing change for a better future, a future that i wish for you to be by his side as he copes with his new fate'"
..."'Rand Al'Thor, my Dragon, my Champion'"
"The Creator's-"-Aragorn began.
"You will not 'SPEAK' of anything i say this night, you swore, did you not?"-Gandalf said dangerously.
Aragorn cut off with a gulp...
"Now, knowing th-"-Gandalf began to say as he heard footsteps rushing away, outside.
"After them, NOW!"-Gandalf yells to Aragorn, panicked at the idea of this information spreading.
'If this became public knowledge...'-Gandalf began thinking as Aragorn ran outside...
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Far Harad; Bozisha-Dar:
"Attack the lands of Umbar, and more importantly, the lands of Harondor with all you can muster!"
"As you command, Lord Sauron."
With that, the Palantir went dark and the 'presence' of his master left.
'Lord Sauron seemed quite angry, i wonder what must have happened to warrant his strange, erratic behavior?'- Kelataro Bohazani thought as he hurried to fulfill his task.
His pace was brisk, his face was darker and harder than usual. Everyone noticed and hurried to move out of his way as he moved through his palace.
One servant was too slow to notice him coming and was blown to the side, and into the stone wall with a surge of his 'dark powers', creating a gore-filled crater in the wall.
'All i can muster...'-the dark lord of Far Harad thought, knowing that he, himself, would now be going to war as well. Leaving his land, and it's comforts, behind. Along with any and all plans he had in motion.
His mood continued to darken as he made his way towards his general's to muster their entire fighting force for invasion.
'We will be left defenseless against our northern cousins if they decided to invade us...curses!'-he thought irritably to himself.
Everywhere the Dark Lord of Far Harad passed through, darkened and an overwhelming sense of despair assailed those who were present...
A/N:
I know its a short chapter, but i wanted to give you all an update! Comment/Review, i always welcome feed-back to improve my stories!