Hyano: *Watching the oven closely.*

Avp: *Decorating the house.*

Ren : *Pulling down decorations and hiding them in his cloak as Avp puts them up.*

Avp: *Turns to look at his handiwork just to see the room looks just like when he started.* What the void?!

Ren: *Stands there like he did nothing wrong.*

Cubby: Hey guys! *walks in and looks around.* Wow, Avp. You cleaned up. Nice job! *goes to her room.*

Avp: *Lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding then gasps as Ren's cloak explodes from all the decorations.* ... You are so lucky that worked out in our favor.

Hyano: ... *looks at the readers.* What? If you want to know what we are up to you will have to read the next issue. Now go on and get reading already!

CA Productions

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

Chapter 6 - The Rat in the Cage

It had been a while... A long time now...

Days have passed ever since Hyano told him to wait, when she explained she does not have the required strength to free them. This did not make the situation better for the trapped wraith. He spent most of the past days pacing around in the darkest corners of the cave that he could find. His steps already left a noticeable path that he carved with the constant monotonous movement.

He did not top for anything, not even as Hyano went on her daily business to drink from the water in the cave or when she ate from the mushrooms. Not even when she stood to stretch or when some noises came from above. That did not interest him. There was only one thing for which he would actually stop. If she told him she had an idea. He already tried formulating some but it was not easy with him knowing so little about this world. His mate does not tell him anything... because she apparently does not know either.

Ren sighed as he paced along the slightly darker but not dark enough wall of the cave back and forth, his hands folded behind his back. He was impatient of course as usual and was desperately trying to think of an idea. His mate was being worried that the White was waiting for them... But he does have to sleep, right? Humans usually sleep at night... right? That would be the perfect time to escape, when he was the most tired and weakest.

The wraith stopped in his tracks and tilted his head to the side at this thought but only a moment later he shook his head and resumed pacing. He wanted to get out... Now...

His mind was already running a mile a minute and what bothered it was the silence...

The oh so familiar silence...

-Flashback-

He had been calling but he had no idea anymore how long it had been... His previous calls managed to echo back to him in the light dust storm that blocked his weakening vision. The once great tower of Barad-dûr lay crumbled at his feet, his chains having been fastened at the still standing foot of it. The cold and poisonous lands were now nothing more but a desert. Lifeless as it always was... but oh so silent.

While it was not uncommon for a wraith to sit in silence, waiting for months at a time until his Lord called for him... this was something different. Now, he knew there will be no new commands as he knew his orders. For many cycles only the rattling of the chains provided some kind of diversity among the return of his own calls. But even they were faint. The chains over-cried everything he uttered.

He could hear a sound, and the weak wraith quickly snapped its attention towards it but his senses could only pick up his own cries, which came back after they bounced off of the tall mountains that surrounded his prison.

Once he was ruler under the command of his Lord at this very place... Now chains hold him back from escaping from it.

There was nothing.

There was only silence, which slowly drained him more than his capture.

No answer. No movement. Just the smells of a war long past and lost. No call back. It was just the rattling.

It was just him, the ruins of Mordor, his chains and the echoes of his lonely shrill cries.

He tried everything he could and still struggled as much as he was able. But as it seemed, to get out of here... he will need to rely on his servant.

Although, there were no answers to his calls for many cycles... that did not stop him from trying.

"Hyano!"

-End Flashback-

Heaving a loud and angry hiss, the wraith soon found his little 'shady' spot again and sat down, facing the wall, pulling his shoulders up and his head down to shield himself from the light of the torches, not saying anything to Hyano the whole time. She surely was thinking too. She must be. They can only get out one way. Slowly, he shifted his hooded head towards her all too silent form.

Hyano seemed to be meditating, having not moved in hours. She was thinking hard but not on the same things as him. She didn't need to escape. If she really wanted she could leave whenever she liked she was sure.

However she wouldn't.

Not without Ren anyway.

If she was to leave without him by her side... that would likely be the end of him. The thought of it being the end of her didn't even cross her mind, really. Despite him likely seeing this as her betraying him, she was really doing whatever she could to try and save his life. As the wizard continued to concentrate on their connection she noticed his movement back to his spot and finally opened an eye. She smiled a bit, getting an idea and reached around and into his cloak, causing him to hiss in irritation, fishing around among the many items he kept in there until she found what she was looking for.

The wraith felt her mess around in his cloak before reaching inside to the many hidden pockets it had. By this time of course she found out what and where he hid in his cloak, having so far already discovered her stolen flute from five thousand years ago... There were always new pockets to discover. He was full of them and tended to change the items in his pockets when he sorts though them. The dark creature relaxed as she worked, knowing she always hands him back what she takes from him. And if she doesn't... Well... he will just take it back one way or another. Also, she is his mate, so has the right to use his items.

Hyano pulled out the bouncy ball. One thing she loved about Ren was that he had an extremely short attention span. So without saying a word, she gave the ball a toss, knowing that even with the annoying torches it had darkened enough that he should be able to see it. Through the years she spent on his side, she was able to get to know him. Oh, if Gandalf knew how amusing a wraith was. If not under the control of Sauron, they behave much like animals, as it seemed. Anything that made sudden moves or was unnaturally colored attracted thir attention and if something 'ran' from them, then they had the strong instinct to give chase. No matter the circumstances. This made them entertaining but also dangerous. She knew she will have to keep him company if they ever get out alive from this place, otherwise he might pose a threat to the elflings who would play tag or run around, only to be hunted down by the Nazgul. But for now... she did not need to worry about that. All she had to do was to sit back and relax, watching the show.

The wraith didn't pay much attention to what she took from him, only then did he look up when he heard that familiar sound of something bouncing rather fast. He turned his head and only a moment later he was gone from his spot, bolting towards the ball. However, thanks to the uneven ground, it didn't bounce as steadily and as predictably as at the tower. It changed directions all too many times, confusing the Nazgul while he chased it.

Eventually, Ren threw himself at the floor, catching the little fast toy before it slid from his grip and started bouncing away again. He resumed chasing, ignoring everything around him.

Hyano watched and laughed a bit as he chased the object. It was good to see him doing something other than worrying himself silly about getting out. This might only last for about ten minutes at most but it was nice none the less. As he 'played', if one wanted to call it that, she continued to work on their connection, although doing it more in the back of her mind now, so she could enjoy the show. However as she continued she felt something 'click'. She had successfully suppressed something. Like a gate being shut. She knew it was darkness but she wasn't sure exactly what it had been. The darkness already in Ren or the darkness of the ring.

She hoped it was the latter.

Ren didn't seem to notice anything different about himself or his powers, seeing he was engulfed with his bouncy ball or simply there was no effect just yet from this little progress. Instead, he managed to catch the ball in both hands and quickly stood from the ground he threw himself at again and held the item before letting it go again, resuming the chase.

While it had no effect on him just yet, the break of the first defenses had an effect on the wizard. The ring of course wasn't having any of this and tried to confuse her, throw her from her concentration by whispering in her mind, seeing she could hear it now, having torn the defense down. The loud speech persisted, getting louder while the aura of the darkness started to darken her vision too, trying to close her out of this connection, working to undo the change she made, like before.

Hyano felt like a mad dwarf with a hammer had been thrown in her head. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes but refused to let go of the progress she had made. She never felt something like this before, although she almost got used to whispers in her head. This was something else... This was... stronger. Closer.

'I will not lose... Not to you... Not again.' She thought, thinking about her defeat against the power of the ring so many years ago when she lost her friend once. She will not lose him again. Gripping her fists, she kept herself silent in order to not draw attention from the wraith. This was just the first step and it was already this hard... But if Ren had taught her anything in his training, it was how to take pain blow for blow and keep going anyway.

The darkness seemed to accept her challenge and pushed against her powers, keeping its position and grip fully, for a moment completely blackening her vision, while it pressed against her mind, causing headache and a sudden pressure in her ear, starting to overcome her senses.

Still, Ren didn't notice a thing about this, just murmured to himself angrily as he started digging for the ball which somehow managed to get stuck between the ground and a crack in the wall. After a few minutes he managed to get it out with a hiss in triumph. This was when he suddenly felt some kind of... strange feeling come over him... as if... he was angry and frustrated without any reason... while also he felt strangely exhausted... and the source... was... his mate. At least this is what he was able to find out by glancing at her, stopping what he was doing, just in time when the darkness all of a sudden vanished from her mind, now this way signaling to her that she successfully torn down the very last defense of the strange connection they shared.

But to what price?

Hyano won... but the battle took so much out of her. She groaned, opening her eyes and being met by haze. The effect of the magical battle seemed to have taken her sight for the moment. It would likely be alright later but... for now she was as good as blind. She gritted her teeth, her head still hurting but it was more manageable. But this did not stop her from starting to sway from side to side.

She was so tired now.

There was nothing else Ren could distinguish. There was this unusual feeling which now seemed to subside, instead tilted his head to the side when she started swaying on her feet, unsure what to think of all this. She was... tired... weak all of a sudden, as if she did something exhausting as far as he could tell through their connection... But he couldn't tell what. Only that he received less magic from her, which only strengthened his unexplained exhaustion.

"What is happening?" He asked, more out of curiosity, wishing to know if there was some kind of significant change in their situation he wanted to know about and stepped closer to her, trying to meet her gaze with his invisible one but she wasn't looking at him... Did she have a mental or magical battle with the White? Did she win? Or did she lose? That would be highly disappointing from a second in command.

The orange istar wanted to reply. Tell him she was fine. But before she could, her mind went blank. She fell to the ground as if in a mere second she had just died. Sadly, this was not an effect she could control. It had been a while since this had happened to her, having been able to control it back in Middle-Earth. However the sudden lack of energy caused by her struggle had been enough to do it, forcing her into a coma-like state due to lack of strength. She would have to remember this later. Ugh... she was going to have a good bruise when she woke up.

Ren watched silently as she fell down, following this movement with his gaze and head, staying in one position, staring at her, as if debating if he should do something or not. Seeing this happened before in the past, he was not surprised by this, neither did he feel the need to hurry with his decision. Eventually, the wraith turned his body towards her and stepped closer, crouching down beside her, still confused about all this. After all, he had no idea what she did and felt no different than he usually did, save for that sudden strange feeling a few moments ago. That went away, though. Ren reached over and poked her head with a gauntleted finger, trying to see if she truly fell unconscious. Getting no response, the Nazgul sat down beside her cross-legged, simply waiting for her to wake up. It surely won't take long...

Right?

'The tides are turning. The land that was once rich with spoils is now plagued with a dark disease.'

Hyano sighed, her eyes seeing only darkness before her.

'Let it spread. It slithers into their midst like a sly snake, coiling up for a strike in the very moment they don't expect. Until then... It shall lay dormant, away from prying eyes.'

Hyano awoke with a start, panting heavily, almost managed to headbutt the wraith which was sitting right beside her with his legs and arms crossed, waiting for her to wake up since she lost consciousness.

She sat up quickly and looked around. She instantly groaned and held her head.

"Worst... hang over... ever" She grumbled before finally opening her eyes looking for the wraith. She noted her eyesight was back. Good. The last thing she needed right now was to be blind. She also noticed that the progress she made yesterday wasn't lost. Another advantage. She would have hated to have to keep repeating that process over and over again. She doubted her mind would have been able to do that more than a few times.

But then her thoughts traveled back to the dream she had. She heard that voice before. And once again, it was speaking to her, telling her of its dark thoughts. Or was this a plan? Though, she wondered if these might be Ren's... They were connected, after all. Did they reach such a level in their dependence towards one another, that she could hear his mind? No... that must not be it. He not only does not have such a voice, never had it even as a human... but he does not speak in this manner...

As she woke up suddenly and sat up, Ren leaned back as he sensed the movement to avoid it and watched her, tilting his head to the side. He heard this word from her before... This was when they talked about alcohol and how it affected people... Quite an interesting topic which he wanted to memorize. Maybe he can use that as a 'weapon' of his.

"You didn't drink..." He noted though and didn't budge, just sat there, looking at her. He didn't feel any different of course, seeing she wasn't yet doing anything.

Hyano waved him off.

"Hangover can also be used to say one has a head ache... Like, if you hit someone hard enough over the head and they wake up still hurting that would be a good time to say it." She explained to him as she got up, shaking her head before walking over to the stream to get a drink of water and splash her face a little. While doing this she also did what she needed to with the connection, shifting it slightly. Mostly to see how it would affect him or if he would even notice it.

"I did not hit you over the head either." Ren noted, tilting his hooded head to the side curiously, watching as she looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. He knew this expression all too well. "Living is so strange..." The Nazgul muttered to himself and seeing she moved about now he also got up, dusted off his cloak before moving to his little spot, facing the wall and sat down cross-legged, huddling closer to the rocky surface and pulled up his shoulders to try and protect himself from the light of the torches. When do these blasted wooden things burn out? Fire should eat the wood and go out after, right? He hissed in annoyance and started to calm down when he felt something... strange again. The same he felt before she fell unconscious... Maybe he feels her weakness now? He looked up, then around as if trying to determine where it came from. It didn't hurt of course, it was just starting to become annoying and irritating. He couldn't describe what this feeling was... but he knew this wasn't supposed to happen... It only served to make him angry.

The torches were kept lit by magic. In reality this made them rather useless to Hyano because while it provided light magic light was more like a flashlight. It did not provide any kind of nourishment, just the presence of light in itself. Hence why the torches refused to go out. She noticed his change in demeanor and raised a brow walking up to him. She knew what was most likely wrong but decided to ask anyway.

"You alright?" She asked him as she took up a seat beside him.

Her answer was silence for the next few minutes as Ren tried to determine the reason for this feeling. There were a few... jabs here and there by now, feeling slight... irritation if one could call it that but otherwise he was still fine. He didn't yet tie this to her approach though and simply looked around, his hooded head now staring at the torch that was burning not far from him. Maybe this light?

"I don't know..." He said with the same honesty he always answered her questions with and simply kept staring at the light, now as if mesmerized by it. The slow dance of fire started to draw his attention and refused to let it go. While fire itself was dangerous to his kind, the view of it could be sometimes... hypnotizing...

The wizard looked towards where he was looking and raised a brow.

"You can touch it if you like. Magic fire does not normally burn. It is technically fake." She suggested, noting how hypnotized he was. Again she loved the short attention span the wraith had. It made this whole endeavor easier in a way. It also provided some mild entertainment in such a boring place as this. And considering Ren did not like to be bored, that was very much needed.

Her words snapped the wraith out of his stare and looked at her, turning his hooded head towards the wizard and tilted it to the side.

"Magic? I don't care. It should go out... I don't like it... It is still as irritating as real fire." He huffed and huddled closer to the wall with a silent murmur about wizards, magic, fire and a note about escaping and caving in this place as it is cursed. He wanted this to end... One way or another. He hated being imprisoned, as he had been like this for many thousand years.

He won't be weak again...

He will not let this place be his eternal prison like the last one...

-flashback-

Rattling...

This was what he had been listening to for the past cycles. He lost his strength a couple of years ago. Exhaustion was a constant guest nowadays, therefore he moved little if any at all. He just... sat on the stone floor of the tower, let himself be held up by the chains that still kept him secured in one place for countless years he could not even remember passed.

While his situation did not change, his prison did. The once great land of Mordor was a desert. Mount Doom slumbered for ages now and its top began to erode, cutting its height. It did not spew poisonous gasses anymore, the sky was only dark because of the natural clouds. There was no dark magic to keep the sun out, however. With no roof above his head, the wraith was put out to the mercy of the glowing orb above. It sapped his energy, suckling it away like a vampire ate blood hungrily... The rubble that remained of the great tower was deeply buried under the fine sand, parts of it were simply ripped apart by the weather itself and fell victim to the strong winds. His prison however held strong. Due to the higher walls that surrounded him, sand did not get into his little space that much but once it did, he could do nothing to stop it from flooding his hood.

What did change for the better was the work of time's iron teeth. The constant flood of sand and rain, along with water falling from the sky and freezing over night... some of the chains began to loosen. The ones that were slung around him already fell from his spectral tired body and were in a heap under him. He managed to wiggle out of them once the strong nails on their ends let go.

Thus, he was allowed to stand properly and sit down if he so wished. At the very least, he could assume his familiar position when he meditated. The cuffs on his arms, legs and neck, however, still held him strong. He didn't even pay attention to them anymore. The wraith still had some fight left in him but with him so exhausted and tired... it was hard to put up any fight anymore. It was as if he was slowly suffocating... It was not the air that his body needed.

He was deprived of magic.

Ren could not know, though. Such a feeling was foreign to him. He did not know what was happening... only that he was weaker as the time passed. He gave up on calls a long time ago. Not only did he lack the strength to shriek... but nobody answered them anyway. He was convinced nobody heard him. The only question he still had in his mind was... where was his mate? She must have heard his call... Maybe she was caught and disposed of? That was his only guess because nothing else was a valid enough reason for her delay.

The only activity of the weakening Nazgul was thinking. If he was not meditating, then he was still observing the sand as it moved through the terrain in front of him. It could be mesmerizing. Like fire... This was slower, though. He could swear he could see the sand dunes being built from grain to grain.

Then one day... he awoke from a shallow mediation to a sharp sound next to him. At first, he was confused. He did not hear something like this for so long. Something else than the rattling that plagued his mind all along. His movements were slow, forced, even turning his hooded head towards the sound that passed minutes ago required a lot of strength from him. He lowered his invisible gaze just enough to notice one of the cuffs that held his arm was next to him. Lying on the stone floor, unmoving, freeing him from the chain that it carried. The metal was eaten by the time and the tiny but sharp grains of sand as the wind blew it around every moment. It was rusted, worn out, just like him. As it seemed, even his prison befell the same weakness that held him at bay.

It took him days to process this information, even when he registered that he could move his arm now. But once he did... he felt a new burst of strength come over him. With newfound energy, the Nazgul ripped and clawed at the remaining cuffs, which answered to his weak attacks. They bent like paper and fell defeated onto the stone floor, clattering loudly.

And so, the rattling ceased.

He was free of that persistent sound and free of his prison.

His hooded head turned towards the direction where the Black Gates were located according to his memory and forced himself to move. He did not walk for a time he could not remember, his legs carried him barely but it was enough for the first steps.

He will not let his Lord wait any longer...

He will fulfill his command, no matter how long it took him.

And so, the wraith vanished into the brewing sand storm , on his way towards his future.

-end flashback-

"Can we get out now?" Ren asked, snapping himself out of his forced memories of imprisonment, although his tone was even as if knowing the answer already and was just asking to be certain.

Hyano shrugged at his comment about the fire before looking above them. At his question about leaving she thought a moment before replying.

"Do you have any ideas as to how?" She asked, deciding to throw the question back at him. She doubted he had any real ideas but that worked in her favor at this point. She was still mentally frazzled from last night but she was well enough to be able to talk to him clearly. That was good at least.

The answer of course rendered the Nazgul silent, unable to reply anything. He didn't have any ideas but seeing that he doesn't know how the new world looks like and didn't see this cave from the outside, one can't expect him to know... She on the other hand saw everything, didn't she? She should know how to get out... Right? So why doesn't she work on it?

"Do YOU have any ideas?" He asked, now turning his hooded head towards her, expecting some kind of valid answer from her or at least the beginning of a plan. She meditated a lot in the past days and had been silent. She must have had thoughts of their escape.

Hyano didn't say anything for a moment, resting her hands on her knees and her head on her hands.

"This is annoying." She admitted, smiling as she remembered this being the first word he learned in the language of Man from her back in the shack. Even though she had no real desire to leave right now she did not really want to stay here so there was no lie to her words. And to be honest she didn't really see much when she was out and about. She knew enough to know that the ruling race here seemed to be elves. After that she had no clue in the void about this place really. She hadn't really been out and about long enough to know.

"Annoying indeed..." The Nazgul trailed off and simply huddled closer to the wall, pressing his hooded head against the rocks there, shutting out the outside world, returning to his inner thoughts. There must be something... Surely there is a way... They just have to work together in order to achieve this goal. "How does it look like?" He asked suddenly, not really specifying what he meant until he realized that she can't read his mind like his brethren, so continued. "This world..." He added, not looking at her, just pressed his head against the stone wall.

The istar looked at him, then away, her eyes on the opposing wall.

"It is full to the brim with magic but very empty of any darkness. To be honest, I think we are the first dark things to set foot here. It makes this world kind of useless, though. I didn't see much after that. I was only here a day or two before coming here and half way through the second day I passed out cold. There is so much magic here but I couldn't get to any of it until I touched you finally." She replied and thought for a moment, trying to think of anything Ren might care to know. To be honest, there really wasn't much to tell. There were the tree herders but even that didn't matter much to the wraith. "Did I tell you I brought the herder family along? That one you met onn Halloween?" She questioned, realizing she had in fact left that out.

Magic? Plenty? After the time spent in Middle-Earth which lacked it, it was good news. Perhaps he can get back to his full power now? Maybe he is now getting in more magic and energy through Hyano? Which also means that he will far more stronger than he was just a few weeks ago... In addition, she might be more powerful as well? He just can't feel either because of this light... It weakens him and his senses...

"Good..." He said in reply to this, nodding, only to stop in the motion and tilt his head a little at the mention of the family. He could scarcely remember them but then again, he didn't think they would be of any use to them anyway... "And... why should that interest me? They won't work to get us out, would they?" He asked, halfway ignoring this, halfway however he couldn't help but wait for her answer. Maybe them? Maybe they can...?

"We aren't that lucky. Maybe if I had been corrupting them back in Middle-Earth but no such luck. It is just good to know who you are familiar with in a world where nothing is familiar." The orange istar replied with a sigh, rubbing her temple softly. Now that she thought about it that would have been a good idea. Too bad she had lacked her memories at the time. The family in general had a lot to offer in terms of sheer strength though their balance was almost as bad as Ren's... almost. The number of creatures that had balance as bad as this wraith were few. She was sure he probably tripped over air more than once.

"For you maybe..." The Nazgul noted, pointing out that only she can feel that way, after all he doesn't know the family the way she does. He maybe saw them once in the shop... He can remember the little girl more clearly though, since he thought she stole his bouncy ball... and she made it grow. Good thing was that her ball simply was colored the same way as his... but bounced less. Still... they were no allies of his, so his interest was not sparked. Instead -trying to pass time- he reached into his cloak and started searching through the items he stashed away from Middle-Earth, picking out a few to look at them and bask in them being in his property, before stopping at the same old book she used to tell him stories from. Right now however he didn't reach it out to her, instead he started flipping through the pages, looking at the few pictures it had and tried to make out some of the words.

"They are similar to the orcs. Hard skin and bones like thick tree trunks. They can lift and take a beating that humans never could. Would have been worth it." Hyano said with a sigh. She was rather glad that Gandalf's understanding of Black Speech was little to none because if he was listening she might have been in trouble for saying such things. Though, she could simply play it off as her just saying it for Ren. In reality what she was saying was true. If she had her memories she probably would have done just that. The herders were at one point pure creatures but once they became human like they were as easily tainted as any man. She had witness one do horrible things more than once. She blinked when he took an interest in her book seemingly out of nowhere. "Looking for something specific?" She questioned curiously.

The wraith hissed as she spoke, turning his hooded head towards her and watched her with a shake of his head.

"But you are late, so they are no allies of mine. Only speak of them if we can do something about it..." He told her and simply shrugged, turning right back to face the wall, continuing what he was doing, now flipping two pages to look at the next picture. Oh yes... He can remember this one! She played this for him on the... what was it called... po...pu... ah, piano! He nodded to himself, pleased by his good memory and started to recall what it was about. A tragic story maybe for someone like the elves or humans but for him, it was more than amusing. Death, terror, fear and torture was very much appealing to the Nazgul. Once she spoke up again, throwing his concentration, he hissed and didn't even bother turning, instead shook his head.

"No. You just go back to thinking. You know the place better than me... So think of a plan. Or else we die..." He told her strictly while he flipped a page again, feeling disappointed that the next story didn't have a picture and after trying to figure out the words in the title in vain for a few minutes, he simply gave up with a shrug and flipped to the next story. Oh, this one had a picture!

Sometimes she thought he gave her more credit than she deserved. Not that Hyano hated the attention. It wasn't that at all. It was more the fact that even if she wanted to get them both out they wouldn't get very far anyway. She gave them a few days at most if not an hour or two after Gandalf found out that they had gotten out before they were killed on the spot. She considered it a moment before standing up and walking around the area. This was the main section. They had yet to really explore yet. "We could see where all the caverns go." She suggested. It wasn't much of a plan, really. More just a suggestion on something to do.

"They surely don't lead outside..." The wraith commented, shutting the book loudly and opening his cloak to put it back into its place. "They wouldn't have put us here if there was a way out..." He murmured but stood up soon after anyway, hissing at the light as it got reached him now more intensely again and shook his head before walking over to her, stopping beside his mate to look at the tunnel she was standing at. To say the least, he saw little... Even that place was lit rather well, if not more than the central cave itself. Huffing, he backed away from the place with a shudder, feeling uncomfortable with that much light.

"Maybe but it is better than sitting here and waiting." The istar pointed out, then noticed his discomfort. She looked at the tunnels and thought for a moment, then held her hand out. She started to close it slowly and the lights started to dim... for a moment. Then there was a spark against her hand making her gasp and pull her hand back the lights coming back in force. Seems like Gandalf truly didn't trust her if he made the torches so her magic couldn't darken them. She cursed under her breath her hand now sporting a burn mark.

Ren couldn't do anything else but watch as this happened, after all he lacked knowledge in the arcane arts, so could not help in any way. While he did step forward when the lights started to dim, hoping that she can make them go out, seeing more clearly each second but he backed off with a sharp hiss when it all came back, blinding him for a moment before he gained back that little sight he still possessed. Hissing once, he looked at her, noting her pained gasp but saw she seemed still standing, so perfectly capable to serve him still.

"Annoying..." He said the same word he always did when something didn't go his way, also the very first word he uttered in the language of Man, before hissing once and moving towards the tunnel again, stopping under one of the torches, then not saying a word, he reached out to touch the wooden piece of the cursed object, wanting to see if he can take it into his hand...

Hyano didn't notice until it was too late and the magic keeping her from snuffing the fire out reacted to him trying to remove the torch.

There was a cracking sound as an electric pulse of magic snapped at his hand, almost like it was smacking him away. It was a defensive magic. Not really deadly but it refused to allow anyone to put the fire out.

While he didn't feel pain, the flash of light and the sudden surge of something not as pleasant, in addition the force that pushed him away surprised the wraith, so fell backwards, away from the torch, landing on his back not far from it. Damn light magic and the tricks these filthy elves use... or the White... He couldn't tell if this was the work of an elf or an istar.

Hyano jumped as she heard the sound, then looked at him.

"Are you alright?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, walking up to him. She knew better than to think that he was seriously hurt. After all that experience with him... it took just a bit more than such small magic to harm him.

At the question her only answer was a blast of curses in Black Speech coming from the Nazgul as he -while struggling- stood up, almost tripping on his own feet, now outright furious, he bent down to retrieve a rock and hurled it at the torch which zapped him.

"You will fall!" He hissed angrily as he took the next rock to hit it with it. That blasted thing will fall to the ground! No question about it! Of course, most of the rocks he threw missed their mark because he lacked most of his sight due to the light and because his accuracy wasn't the best either. If he can't touch it, then the rocks shall do the work! How dare they keep him away from his goal? The cursed rats!

Hyano watched as the wraith lost his temper. Well, at least he was wearing himself out. That was good. He seemed more... easily agitated now, though. Could this be an effect of the change she made? She pondered this before hearing another crack as a rock met its mark but was then zapped right back at the wraith with the same force. Almost as if it was laughing the effort off. Oh, he wasn't going to like that. She stepped back from him slightly, not wanting to get hit by a rock at the moment... or a wraith who happened to lose his balance.

The Nazgul took the rocks with ease, as he lacked the feeling of pain but that didn't mean he didn't feel the force of them. It jerked him back sometimes but he wasn't about to just let this win! He will win this fight! So... seems like the torch itself was protected...

But what about its environment?

The wraith stopped throwing the rocks, keeping the last one in his hand, while the last rock he threw bounced off of his head when the torch threw it back. This only served to agitate the creature further.

"I will bring you down!" He half hissed and half shrieked at the torch as if it was his greatest enemy -which it was at the moment- and charged forward but this time stopped in front of the torch, not touching it. Instead, he looked around it, reaching out to try and touch the rocks, trying to find the location where it connected to the wall of the cave before he started to pull at the rocks, trying to loosen them and bring the torch to the ground this way.

Hyano watched this for a moment, wondering if Ren had lost his mind. That is until she noticed what he was trying to do.

"Ren... Ren you should stop before-" She was too late as the rocks came loose and the torch came down alright... and landed smack dab in his hood.

The moment the torch fell into his hood, the wraith lost his sight for that time. He shrieked at the sudden flash and was surprised at the magic as it zapped him, starting from his head. Instantly he fell down onto his hands and knees, reaching up to take the thing out. But it wasn't so easy... While he didn't feel the pain, his body reacted to it, making movement very hard and slow. It was uncomfortable... irritating... annoying... and oh so humiliating... But he didn't care about that. Instead, he felt too much anger and agitation to concentrate on his pride for the moment...

Hyano cringed at this and quickly ran up to pull the thing out, knowing that not only was the light a problem but the magic around it as well would also react too.

"Damn it all, Ren. Don't you ever stop?" She said as she shoved him onto his back, then got on top of him, grabbing the torch. She cringed as it shocked her repeatedly, making getting the stupid thing out all the harder before she finally tossed the blasted thing away. She panted as she looked down at him. "You are far too stubborn for your own good." She scolded him.

The feeling of the repeated zaps disappearing made his spectral muscles relax all of a sudden and simply laid there on the floor. Only a few seconds later did he start to move, propping himself up onto his elbows, after hearing her comment.

"But it worked!" The wraith pressed on, briefly searching their environment to catch a glimpse of the torch on the ground. "It worked! It is down!" He shouted in victory, still panting and pointed at the 'defeated' object as if he just managed to beat his worst enemy. Mainly this was to mask the blow to his pride about the torch falling into his hood and the bit about the rocks being thrown back at him without missing him... But then again... he got it down, just as he wanted! Right?

Hyano was about to reply when the torch itself disappeared then reappeared back in its original place as if nothing had happened at all. She looked at the torch then back down at him.

"Want to rephrase that?" She questioned, before getting off of him and making her way back to the main area. If he did that to himself again she would likely let him get hurt for a bit before helping him. He was being so brash. Even for him... She stopped as she realized something. He never really had emotions but in a way he could feel things. Maybe... that was why. The shift she made was making him a little irrational maybe? She looked up at the sky. Only a few more hours until the event started today. Gandalf would leave then... she would figure it out for sure then... when he wouldn't be there to get in the way.

Of course the wraith still kept pointing at the place when the torch disappeared, then moved his hooded head to stare at the wall where he got the torch from, watching as it happily sat at its place. He let his hand drop to the floor and didn't get up for a few minutes, feeling disappointed and helplessly frustrated. Finally, after moving and getting up he still stared at the torch. There must be a way he can get them off somehow... They can't go and place themselves on the wall if the wall is not suitable... Like... Maybe if he dug deeper... Hmm...

Still not giving up, Ren strode over to the nearest torch on the wall of the main cave and started digging around the rock holding this torch up. This time he kept his hood down, just in case it fell but took great care to dig only around it and not at the rock which held the torch until he managed to make a small sized hole, enough for the torch to slip inside if it replaced itself, before lashing out at the rock which held the torch, backing away slightly to watch what will happen. Will it place itself at the same direction it came from, so ending up in the hole?

Before the torch even hit the ground it disappeared. However, it didn't appear where the wraith predicted. Instead it appeared right beside the hole. As if it knew all along what was happening.

Hyano sometimes wondered if magic had a mind of its own when it did things like this. It could be unpredictable. Even in the hands of a master. It was like an animal, really. Could be trained... but if one wasn't wise it would lash out. It was how many a wizard became cursed.

Hissing, the wraith formed his hands into fists before punching the wall, making a few rocks fall and bounce off of his head, which once more angered the Nazgul further, making his visibly shake. So, shrieking in fury, he started digging that same hole further along the wall, wanting to dig it all around for the torches to disappear into them, to have no more place to put themselves but into the hole!

Hyano watched this and took a seat. This would likely go on for hours depending on if she decided to distract him or not. Nah. She would let him go. Better to focus his anger on a torch than on nothing at all.

Just a few more hours. She thought to herself repeatedly. Just a few more hours.

-few hours later-

Hyano looked towards the sky, sensing darkness approach. It was about time for things to start at the celebration... and she no longer sensed Gandalf nearby. The time has come to move things forward a bit. She looked at Ren.

"How are you feeling?" She asked him simply, curious if he felt any real change in himself yet. Though, she had noticed a slight personality shift. This might just be an effect of him being trapped in a closed space. She would find out soon.

By now the wraith was done digging and was standing at the same torch he tried knocking down in the main cave. The wall was now decorated by a continuous hole all along the wall at the same height where the torches were still sitting unsuspecting. Just as she asked the question, Ren dug at the rock holding the torch and stepped back to let it fall and put itself back. He was excited of course and didn't bother replying just yet. He was at the end of his energy by now, needing meditation but he decided to not rest until he solved this problem of theirs. His answer to her question will depend on his success.

Hyano had a good idea what was about to happen but decided to use this moment to shift the flow of magic, changing it slightly to make it lighter.

When the torch fell, it disappeared but instead of reappearing it seemed to just be gone... then all the rocks that Ren had spent so much time digging out also started to disappear and replace themselves where they had originally been. The moment the last rock was in place the torch reappeared as if nothing had ever happened in the first place.

He couldn't believe it.

Ren watched helplessly as everything reassembled, ruining his work completely. The many hours he spent digging was now nothing more but a waste of time... There was a sudden weakness coming over him, where he lost his energy all of a sudden, causing him to fall to his knees slowly and stare at the rebuilt wall. He didn't think anything of this but blamed this on his frustration and disappointment, the realization that he did all this work in vain. It surely was that...

"Not well anymore..." He said, finally answering the question she asked a while ago. He hated this situation... It was too frustrating.

Hyano looked him over for a moment before stepping up to him.

"They made this place to keep you weak, Ren. Just enough energy to live but they know that darkness is not an option if they want to keep your power under wraps." She said with a sigh. "You are going to need to meditate for a while, Ren... You used a lot of energy doing that." She said, sounding worried for him now.

"Then do something about it..." The Nazgul hissed angrily, finding himself weakened indeed. It surely is from this unfortunate and unsuccessful attempt at putting these lights out... And if she knows the reason for their existence... then why isn't she trying? Why isn't she doing anything? "I am working on this... and why am I working on it alone?" He asked, turning his hooded head towards her, staring at her still not moving from his kneeling position. "I can't meditate now... Not now... We need to get out." He added, now letting his invisible gaze wander the walls, then up towards the dark sky. He will keep to his promise of not meditating until he found a way out.

He will not rot in another prison for thousands of years!

Hyano considered this a moment. She guessed now was as good a time as any.

"You were doing that on your own because it wasn't much help and I assumed it was good for you to vent out on it. You are trying to get out on your own because I have no desire to leave." She explained and she turned to walk away from him, certain she didn't need to look at him to know his reaction. She would hear it more likely than anything anyway.

At first, Ren didn't say anything, silence engulfed the cave after she spoke her last sentence. The wraith thought he was just hearing things but after his mind cleared somewhat he couldn't help but feel anger suddenly reach his senses.

"What?" He asked, irritated, questioning her, now turning his hooded head slowly towards her, staring at her with his hooded head tilted to the side. "What was that?" He asked, now his tone becoming more demanding as he moved to stand, although on shaky legs but he managed to do so and stepped towards her. "What do you mean?"

Hyano sighed.

"If there is one thing I know about you, Ren, it is that your hearing is fantastic. But if you need me to explain a bit better, I can." She said, turning back towards him. "Gandalf was ready to kill you the moment we got here. The only thing that kept you alive was the fact we are connected. However, Gandalf started to consider ways of breaking that connection so he could destroy you. So I threw in a different idea. This. Just so you know the reason you feel strange right now isn't the fire." She explained and corrected his earlier thinking.

The Nazgul didn't know what to think or what to do. He was never faced with such a situation before. What she said was kind of... unbelievable and only now did it start sinking in.

"What?" He asked, his voice being quite even, despite the topic as he stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "What are you doing to me?" He continued, his hands clenching to fists and took another step, now stopping right in front of her, his tone becoming demanding and authoritative.

Hyano looked up into his hood before sighing.

"Last night I broke through the power of your ring and ever since I have been changing the flow of magic between us. You should start feeling the effects more as time goes by. In a nutshell if this works out this should temporarily reverse the effects the ring had on you. Though that is 'if' this works." she explained to him calmly. This was an important detail. If it worked, Ren could change for the better, perhaps she could attempt to reverse the effects of the curse but for this she would need extensive knowledge of the ring itself, which she lacked. But if this does not work, then her attempts will be in vain. The darkness would simply form back as soon as it was changed, even the slightest. Her current plan was to make a small change. Just to appease Gandalf.

"Stop it!" The wraith demanded, leaning closer to her to try and intimidate her, showing his dominance. "You would take away my power and my immortality! Or kill me in the next second with this foolishness!" He hissed, stepping forward, now pushing against her, forcing her back. "I won't become something weak and the pet of the White. I am no one's pet! I will destroy myself first before he even has the chance to command me around!"

Hyano stepped back as he pushed her, then rolled her eyes.

"You are not going to be anyone's pet, Ren, so get that nonsense out of your head. You also won't be completely human and it isn't permanent." She said, crossing her arms. "If I wasn't being careful you would likely be dead a long time ago. I am doing what I can to assure everything goes smoothly."

"What do you think is going to happen once you change me?" The Nazgul asked, his voice staying demanding and dominant, pushing her backwards with his hands, now starting to act aggressively again, mostly because of the sudden betrayal he felt. This wasn't the first time, either. They have been through this once already. He pushed himself to trust her again, seeing she was his only ally. But now... The second time was a clear warning. He will need to make a decision. "They would want me to do what they say, to not go against them and be all good. What do you think it means? I would become their servant! I would be their pet! I would be bound to do their bidding to stay alive? I kill myself before I would be forced to do that!" He hissed furiously and pushed against her again with more strength this time. "And you? You are playing right along? So what we talked about in Moria is nothing? It doesn't have the meaning it should? Your word was not meant sincerely? Do you betray me again?" He almost shrieked now. "Yes, smoothly for the wizard and what he wants. But not for me. You chose once..." He once more hissed sharply and raised a hand to point at her. "... then keep yourself to it."

Hyano caught his hand, glaring up at him.

"I know exactly what I am doing and I'm not betraying you no matter what you might think." She snapped. "If there was another way I would have taken it, Ren, but there isn't. If you haven't noticed the only source of darkness in this world is you. Even if we had managed to get away then what? None of the spells I know to make your army will work here. The ground is too pure. The only resource we have is time and we can't exactly do anything with that if you are dead." She pointed out to him bluntly before letting go of his hand.

"The darkness infests and influences..." The wraith trailed off as he pulled his hand away from her angrily, hissing still in anger. "Wherever I am it is only a matter of time until it seeps into the land and into the hearts of creatures. It only needs a little source..." He pointed out, then gestured to himself. Unlike in Middle-Earth where their Dark God, Morgoth was the very source of darkness when he still walked the world before his banishment, this time Ren could become the -although slower- source and spreader of dark magic and all that came with it. "And what do you plan on doing once you changed me? Deliver me to the wizard? So he can use me? What after? Will you keep me like that? Will I be doomed for eternal servitude? That wasn't my plan... That wasn't our plan!" He hissed and stood in front of her still, unknown to her -but she surely suspected- glaring down at her. "If you think that I will willingly become a pet of the White, then you are mistaken. I rather die than be forced to do what he says."

"Exactly." Hyano said to his comment about the darkness. "Even in another form that will be the case, Ren. You will be able to influence the world without anyone being the wiser." She pointed out to him. "And no. You will be no one's pet. I will be sure of that. You will simply have to tolerate a new lifestyle for a time until this world has enough darkness to use. Gandalf won't even be around more than likely. The istari lifestyle normally includes a lot of traveling." She said, crossing her arms. "Oh and last I checked we came over here with little to no plan at all, so sorry if I had to come up with something when I realized we were in serious trouble." She added bluntly.

"With you altering my dark flow, do you think I will be able to influence anything? I highly doubt it." The wraith hissed, now simply turning away from her, knowing that if he looked at her longer, he would hit her for the betrayal. "And how will you make sure I won't be anyone's pet? Either the White's or the elves', it won't matter. Will be equally humiliating which I won't survive." He pointed out, feeling that such a blow to his pride he would never be able to take. Both kinds of creatures are equally hated by him and his kind. He would never be able to survive such humiliation. "And think about it... You try to tell them that they can't use me the way they please or if I step up against their wishes, they will say it didn't work and will kill us without a second thought." He fumed, knowing that if this even worked or he let this happen, he would still attempt to escape, kill them all and refuse to be a pet they desire him to become. "You saw the world. Our plan was to get over there and as soon as you are alone, you bring me back and we flee. This was the plan. I am sure you were alone a few times and didn't use the opportunity. As usual, you let them go by. Blind wizard." He pouted and simply walked over to his 'dark' corner and sat down facing the wall, huddling closer to its surface. He will just rest a little... The digging and argument took most of his energy. "Now turn back the connection or else."

The istar rolled her eyes.

"We won't be sticking around so that is hardly an issue, Ren." She told him bluntly, then sighed as he continued on about being a pet. He had a very broad definition of being a pet. Anything including not doing whatever he wanted counted as him being a pet in his eyes. When he practically threatened her to change it back she simply leaned back against the opposing wall. "No." She stated and waited for the oncoming reaction.

There was silence for a few seconds after she expressed her denial towards his wish, then he gave out a hiss, turning his hooded head just a little towards the direction she was sitting at.

"If I were you, I wouldn't say that. I can easily end your life at night. And don't care if I will die with you. Better for me. At least I won't suffer this ultimate humiliation of becoming the pet of these creatures." He warned, before once more trying to get comfortable next to the wall. "And tell that to the elves. I know them. They will keep a good eye on us. So we escape now or die here tomorrow."

"We will see." Hyano said but again made no move to change anything. He had his answer. And even if he didn't like it, that was the answer he would be stuck with for now. She looked up at the hole in the ceiling. Gandalf or someone would be back soon. She was counting on it. Ren would keep his word.

Despite what most thought of dark creatures they were very good at keeping their word which in a way made them all the more dangerous.

Aaaaaand... Cut!

Well, seems like the two are at it again.

Hmm... Will Hyano succeed with her plan? Or will Ren go through his promise to murder her if she doesn't comply?

We hope you enjoyed our chapter. Come back in two weeks to find out what happens next!

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