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Chapter 4: Marcus tells a story
Marcus woke up eight hours later and decided to explore. Tomorrow some guest will arrive and he couldn't wait. He met Gandalf and was really disrespectful to see what would happen. The two shared some laughs, spoke of better drinks, and parted on good terms. It is safe to say the two are friends. So here the Elves find him in the library studying the world of Middle Earth and its inhabitants. Elrond walks up to the man who is reading ancient scrolls and studying the anatomy of the wrags. "I see your looking at the creatures the Enemy", Elrond says in hopes of starting a conversation. "He has some interesting creatures. Trolls, giant spiders, Goblins, Orcs, Uruk' hai, humans, wrags, and of course the Nazgul. I must understand is soldiers to understand how he might use them in war. So far I believe he overwhelms his enemies with sheer number or uses surprise attacks. He doesn't seem to have a plan past annihilate. Sheer brute force with some planning proves that he is clever. I have faced such an army before. The Legion. Caesar wanted to bring the entire land beneath his banner of the bull. His lead general would send in the weaker forces first with some experienced ones. The weaker, more inexperienced soldiers had greater numbers, but where easily defeated. Wave two had a mixture of experienced and fresh bloods, still could be fought off, but they fought to the death. Then came the Veterans who haven't fought yet and could attack the weakened army. The general name was Lanius, or Butcher in the language. I defeated him in battle and claimed his sword as my own. His Emperor I had to charge into a camp filled with the enemy and kill him and his top scout. I took his throne and united it with my country. The point is, your enemy doesn't do that. He just sends as many as he can to defeat his opposition. No rhyme or rhythm. He is unpredictable. That is what makes him dangerous, but not his men. There numbers are the only dangerous thing about them. Expect his trolls, wrags and Uruk' hai. Believe that if you could kill their commanders then you could effectively when. However you would have to be really good at stealth to do it, but it could work", Marcus says in his dark voice. Elrond is impressed by the man before him.
Timeskip
The next day he was waiting outside, with Mortem next to him to try and control him, bouncing on his feet like a kid needing to pee. "Oh, boy! New people will be coming soon! I can't wait!", Six says, now hopping and creeping out the Elves near him. Mortem can only shake his head at this situation. Six is still dressed in his TC6 outfit that he had washed. He had even taken a bath. "A bath! That felt so good." He hadn't bathed in seven days before coming here. Mortem had also taken a bath. "Morty, I am going to take get something to eat. Come get me when they arrive", and with that Marcus was gone. Mortem stood there as humans on horses arrived. Then the elves on white horses. Then dwarves. On what he couldn't tell. Short little creatures, dwarves. Suddenly Marcus reappeared next Mortem. "Would you look at that? Mortem, this will mark one of my greatest adventures," Six says in his cheerful voice.
Timeskip
"Only the fires of Mount Doom can destroy the Ring", Elrond says. "So you're telling us that someone has to travel a long distance to deliverer it to Mount Doom and throw the cursed item into the flames. Sounds a little like that one time I had to deliver a package to the Fort, that Caesar was at, and activate the army underneath him to be ready to wipe him out when he least expected it. Or the time I had to go to the Capital Wasteland by going through that tyrant's territory. Had friends of my father in the Capital Wasteland who needed to know he died on his way to the Mojave. And that I was alive, had a job, and to let them know of the Legion", Marcus said in his cheerful voice. "What I am getting at is you need a Courier who can't be influenced by that thing. I know for a fact a human can't even look at that thing without hearing evil thoughts. I don't know about dwarves or elves, but if one of you have the guts to carry this thing to Mordor, all the while being chased by all matter of creatures and Nazgul, please step up", Marcus is now speaking in his dark voice. No one stepped forward. "I've already talked to Gandalf about it, and he can't carry it either. So that leaves one choice", Marcus says evenly. "I will take it. I will take the Ring to Mordor", young Frodo says. "Though I don't know the way." "I will help you carry this burden as long as it's yours to bare", Gandalf says smiling at him. "Whether by life or shield, I will protect you", Strider says. "And you have my bow", Legolas says. "And my axe", says Gimili. "You carry the fate of us all little one", Boromir says. "Well you're not leaving me and Mortem out of this one. I asked for an adventure and I will get it if it kills me. Besides you someone of a genius level intellect out there. Now I am insane not stupid. I am definitely not wise, for no one wise would go for adventure such as this. Mortem is coming because, well, he scares the elves, and wildlife", Marcus says. Suddenly Sam runs forward followed by Pippin and Merry. "So where we going", Pippin asks only to get smacked in the head by Marcus. "Now you have gone and ruined the mood."
Timeskip
As they're about to set out they see Marcus standing at the gate next to Mortem. Marcus is wearing his AI (Atrox Irae) outfit only difference is he has his black grieves on and is armed to the teeth. Love and Hate on each hand, Blades of East and West strapped on his back in an "X" formation, a combat knife strapped to his left bicep, a bowie knife strapped to his right bicep, a switch blade in his left boot, on his right hip is the Mysterious Magnum that was given to him as a gift, on his left hip is Light Shining in the Darkness, in his right outside coat pocket is Maria, in his left outside coat pocket is the Sonic Emitter, and on his back, over the Blades, is LAER. Yep armed to the teeth. On Mortems back is a pack filled with ammo and holding his 50 caliber antimaterial sniper rifle, and Red Glare. Also on his back is a bedroll.
Everyone just looks at him in wonder. "How can you even move with all of that? Actually, where have been keeping those?", Strider asks in awe. "Well, to answer your first question is, I trained to carry all of this across deserts and over mountains. For your second question, that is a secret. Now we need to move, we're burning daylight. I would like to leave Rivendell before nightfall. Now Frodo lead the way. I will protect the rear", Marcus says in his dark voice.
"Um, is Mordor left or right", Frodo whispers to Gandalf who just chuckles. "Right", Gandalf says.
Timeskip
Here they are on a mountain staring at an even bigger mountain. Marcus is watching Boromir train Merry and Pippin. "Block", Strider says. "Don't block dodge. It is more harmful to your opponent to swing and miss than to actually land a hit. I should know, I use to miss all the time. Stupid drugged up bastards, having an adrenaline rush. Under these clothes are scars, in those scars are lessons learned", Marcus says.
"Courier, can tell us about yourself?", asks Frodo. "What do you want to know?", asks Marcus. "What was your land like?", asks Sam. "In a word. Brutal. The grass and trees are long gone in most places. Only the strong survive. Our ancestors destroyed our lands in a great war. Out of the ashes, came the most cruel people and creatures I've ever seen. When I was a boy, I had to watch my parents die in front of me followed by their killers. That same day my savior and I buried my parents. I joined the Desert Rangers a few months after that. The man who saved was one of them. I became one of the best in everything I did. When I was sixteen they joined up with a country out west of my home after a bloody war. I was cast out because in the eyes of the leaders of that country I was a boy. So I joined the Followers of the Apocalypse in their cause of bringing aid to the poor people of the Mojave, my home. I learned a language from them, Latin. I also learned medicine, chemistry, physics, and how to read. I later left to become a courier. Found a new home, the Divide. One day that same country brought me a device a told me to take it to the Divide. The device awakened long dormant weapons that destroyed my new home. So I left. When I was eighteen I was on my last job before joining back up with the Desert Rangers. I was captured because I let my guard down tied up in front of a shallow grave. All I remember was seeing this gun", he stops and pulls out Maria, "before hearing it fire," Bang!, "Then I woke up in a bed with a doctor taking care of me. Saying hoe I had been buried alive, and how lucky I was. So I tracked down the original owner of this gun, took the gun, and shooting him in the head. Unlike me he died. I live I a land where to survive you have to be ruthless, cunning, strong, smart, a smooth talker, and hard to kill. I am all these things. That guy was only cunning and a smooth talker, ya dig. I once met a man who survived being covered in pitch, lit on fire, and thrown of a canyon. Not only did he survive, he pulled himself out of the canyon and walked over a thousand miles and over mountains to get back to his home. He was all of those things. And a friend", Marcus says. "In my land we have a saying, "War… war never changes"", Marcus says. Legolas looks up and sees a black mass heading their way. Against the wind.
Hoped ya like it.
Toodles.