DAENERYS EMBRACED AND KISSED THE DRAGONBORN AS SOON THEY CAME BACK THROUGH THE OBLIVION GATE, BUT SHE COULD FEEL A FAMILIAR DARK PRESENCE. The Dovahkiin told her and everyone gathered that Ulfric had been vanquished and Brianna the victor. Cheers erupted from the crowd and the people of Windhelm demanded to know the tale, but Daenerys could sense that her husband and step daughter were concerned and worried. Inside the palace in a private room, the Dragonborn explained that although Ulfric had been slain, he had remade the One Ring and it was in their possession. Furthermore, the Witch-King had escaped Oblivion and his location had yet to be determined. Daenerys was stunned at the revelation and she more than anyone in Skyrim understood the danger of magic rings especially Isildur's Bane. She once had borne Talion's ring and knew of their seductive powers. When she had briefly served the Dark Lord Sauron, he radiated dark power and it terrified her. And Daenerys was worried that the Ring would corrupt her husband and step daughter. She hated that evil had been allowed to endure and wanted it gone before it did any harm to those she loved.
"It must be destroyed. Now" Daenerys warned her husband. "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone and it cannot be wielded by any man. Ultimately, Ulfric would have been corrupted and become its slave."
"Brianna, Kellian, Jon, Ciri, you and I leave for Mordor first thing in the morning. Brianna is currently writing Aragorn a letter warning him that the Witch-King has possibly returned to Middle-earth. If Middle-earth is plunged into another war, I fear Nilfgaard may capitalize on the situation and commit forces."
"Why would Nilfgaard assist Angmar" Jon questioned.
"Nilfgaard's lust for power has no limits and Middle-earth is no longer protected by the Istari. With all of the battlemages that they employ, they could possibly view Gondor and Rohan as weak and easily conquered" the Dragonborn explained. "They are still rebuilding from the last war. Aragorn is my friend and I refuse to allow a tyrant to try to overthrow him."
"In Cintra, my grandmother often discussed the military capabilities of Gondor and Rohan and considered proposing an alliance with Lord Denethor and King Theoden. Sadly, she never got the chance because Nilfgaard overran the city and murdered her. When I reclaim the throne, I'm going to secure that alliance."
"Wise of you Ciri" the Dragonborn said.
"What of the dragon? What of Ancalagon? He must not be allowed to live" Daenerys said.
"When Talion completes his training, he and I will hunt down the beast and slay him" the Dragonborn replied. "For now, our son can enjoy his childhood. A luxury that you and I never had the opportunity to experience. For now, Brelyna can watch him as we head for what remains of Mt Doom to destroy the Ring."
Daenerys sighed "Mordor. The last place on earth anyone wants to travel to is the one place where the Ring can only be unmade. Are you sure Odahviing can't destroy it" she asked already knowing the answer.
"Only in the fires of Mordor can the Ring be undone" the Dragonborn answered hugging his wife. "A perilous journey, but we will be prepared."
After a month of travel in Middle-earth with a heavy Akaviri, Gondorian Ranger and Rohan cavalry escort, the Dragonborn, Daenerys, Brianna, Kellian, Jon and Ciri arrived at the ruins of Barad-dur. The heroes were taking no chances with the cargo they had with them. They were joined by both Aragorn, Arwen, Faramir and Eowyn who were determined to see evil destroyed once and for all. Aragorn appreciated the warning that the Dragonborn had sent and had set a watch on Mordor, Minas Morgul, Gundabad, Rhundaur, Dol Goldur, Angband and the other ancient strongholds of Morgoth and Sauron. Rangers patrolled the plains of Gorgoroth and the ruins of the Black Gate. The King took the threat of Angmar seriously and deployed his best scouts. Yet no sign of the Witch-King had been found and the Dragonborn wondered if Sauron's deadliest servant had been cast back into the Void. But Daenerys warned the Dragonborn not underestimate the power of the Ring and the servants of Sauron. Daenerys remembered her time at Angband when Sauron would speak of the Ring as if it were a lost love or close friend. The Dark Lord still craved and lusted after it. Yet Daenerys knew that the Ring of Power corrupted the hearts of men and had to be destroyed. Her thoughts were interrupted by Ciri's voice.
"Never would I have imagined that I would gaze upon the world's most evil realm. Ah" Ciri grimaced pressing her hand to head. "There is great darkness here even though Sauron is overthrown. Something has been awakened and is moving in the shadows. We must be cautious" the young Witcher warned.
"The shadow of Mordor has never faced anyone from Kaer Morhen or the Northern Kingdoms" Arwen told Ciri. "The Enemy won't be expecting someone with your capabilities."
"Let us proceed to Mt Doom and end the dominion of evil" Aragorn told the group.
The remains of the Mt Doom vomited fire and the volcano still radiated darkness. Corrupted by thousands of years of dark magic, everyone felt its dark energy and made them physically ill. Brianna who had possession of the Ring stood over the chasm and looked at the river of fire. She and her father had spent two days in Oblivion and nothing in the Daedric realm compared to the hell of Mordor. As she prepared to cast the Ring into the fire, it whispered to her in the Black Speech, again tempting her. Brianna in her mind could hear the promises of unlimited power and realized that although the Ring had been remade with Daedric magic, it had been corrupted by the power of Mordor. It sickened her and she threw the relic into the fires and watched as the Ring sink into the lava. The air around them seemed to lighten and the illness that had stricken them passed. Yet Ciri still seemed on edge and nervous and kept her hand around the hilt of her Witcher blade.
"What's wrong Ciri" Brianna asked.
"We need to go. Now. I sense that we are being watched and whatever it is, is not happy that you destroyed the Ring of Power."
As the group left Mordor, Ciri looked back at the ruined realm and couldn't shake the feeling that the evil of Mordor would rise once again. She feared that as long as one of Morgoth's or Sauron captain's still lived, they would attempt to break their 'king' out of the Void. Yennefer had told her that Sauron was more powerful than any mage in the Northern Kingdom's and that included herself. Ciri had heard the tale of what Yennefer had done at the Battle of Sodden, but her abilities were miniscule compared to the fallen Maiar. And Sauron's Master was even more powerful since he was one of the Valar and Sauron sought to release his Master. Yennefer had told Ciri, that the magic of Middle-earth was ancient and as old as the Earth itself and those that practiced the arts of the First Age were inherently stronger and more dangerous. Even Geralt feared the dark arts of Mordor and he was a legendary Witcher. Ciri took one last look at Mordor as they rode past the ruins of the Black Gate, her unease never leaving as she stopped her horse.
"What's the matter Witcher" Faramir asked.
"Although the Ring has been destroyed, I fear that the evil of Mordor will rise again. Perhaps not in my lifetime, but many years from now. I do believe that Sauron and Morgoth will escape the Void and plunge the world into a war not seen since the time of the High Elves of the fallen kingdoms of Doriath and Gondolin."
"Can Middle-earth count Cintra as a friend" Aragorn asked Ciri.
"You have my word that when I reclaim the throne, I and my descendants will take a pledge to fight the evil of the Black Land" Ciri answered and Aragorn nodded in agreement.
"The Psijic's prophecy will not come true for I destroyed the recovered Silmaril" Brianna said sharply. "Ulfric is dead and never found an Elder Scroll. Sauron and Morgoth are never getting out of the Void."
"But Brianna, did the Psijic's say that Ulfric was the third Dark Lord? Ulfric was mortal and would have eventually passed. Nay cousin, I fear the third Dark Lord will be someone blessed with long life and strong in magic."
"The only races blessed with long life are the Elves, my kin and the Dragonborn" Aragorn responded to Ciri's remark. "Are you suggesting that darker forces are at work?"
"No, my Lord. Hopefully my fears are nothing more than fears" Ciri replied, but remembering that both Geralt and Yennefer had told her to always trust her intuition.
Little did the group know, that the death of Ulfric Stormcloak set in motion plans that Sauron had laid almost six years ago. Sauron had sensed the presence of the lost jewel of Feanor in Tamriel. He manipulated Ulfric into becoming his servant and foresaw his doom at the hands of the Dragonborn's daughter. The fallen Maiar knew that Ulfric would use the Night King as his war captain and sacrifice him to gain the Witch-King and the Witch-King held the key to Morgoth's and Sauron's freedom. For Sauron had passed on the knowledge of forging an Elder Scroll to Angmar. And the Witch-King was busy constructing an Elder Scroll to release Morgoth and Sauron and restore the destroyed Silmaril. And this Elder Scroll was crafted using the fires of the drake Ancalagon the Black making it nearly indestructible.