A/N: Well that was quick. Yes, here is Chapter 2. Again, this is also a bit short, but dont worry, they get longer. Oh, and sorry, I made a mistake with the chapter links so now the first chapter is just Chapter 1, instead of it being its actual name, Shadows and Thoughts, as i intended. No matter. I know the update has been quick so not a lot of people have had a chance to review yet, but when you do get a chance i would appreciate it. Thanks, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tolkien's works, or his characters. I also do not own the names as I explained in the previous chapter.

The Dead Marshes

Dakian stood at the edge of the Emyn Muil, looking out over the cloudy mist that covered the Dead Marshes. The stench of still-rotting corpses could be smelt far and wide. And Dakian had a very acute sense of smell. Across the other side of these marshes, he knew; lay the land of Mordor, and beyond, the wreck of a master that was surely in need of his help. Dakian moved forward cautiously. He cursed himself for not attempting to learn a path through the marshes before. He could have made things a lot faster. He scanned the area and felt the evil that held this place. The slaughter that had occurred here he himself had witnessed…..

The stench of blood was tremendous. Elves, Men and Orcs fell on every side, screaming in pain and fury. Arrows flew through the sky in every direction, piercing the ranks of both good and evil. Gil-galad, High King of the Noldor, wielded his mighty war spear, Agelos, as if it was weightless, and the orcs were fleeing in fear from his prowess. The majority were falling back to the black gate, but as panic ensured, Dakian saw the elvenking seize his chance and drive nearly three thousand orcs towards the treacherous marshes. Dakian saw him almost herd the orcs southwards, while his herald Elrond Half-elven moved the main army onward. Dakian raced after Gil-galad. The foolish elf thought he could drown the orcs in the marshes did he? Well let him try himself against hoards of the undead! Dakian reached the marshes to see a quarter of the orc bodies already floating in the swamp. He muttered several words in the black speech under his breath. Suddenly figures seemed to rise out of the water and swarm over the armies of the Last Alliance. Dakian saw Gil-galad watch in horror as his people were dragged into the dark water. Dakian moved forward and let out a bone chilling scream. Elves and Men cried out in fear and fled from the presence of the formidable Nazgul. Dakian uttered another spell and the spectres swarmed over the terrified warriors. The noise died down and the screaming grew softer until….. silence.

Dakian stood alone, staring at the dead faces that floated in the water. He cursed. The elvenking was not among them. He had slipped away… Dakian moved back to the main battle. He would not fail his master again…

It had not mattered that Gil-galad had survived that particular faze of the war. At the conclusion of the siege of Barad-dur, Dakian remembered Sauron emerge and crush the elvenking like a Halfling. And then he had turned to Elendil…..

Dakian was already in the service of Sauron when he came into contact with the ring. Unlike the others, he gave himself wholly and willingly to its darkness, accepting his new form and immersing himself in evil like none before him, hence his title, The Tainted One. Dakian was as unyieldingly loyal to his master as the Black Captain of the Nazgul, and followed his bidding no matter the cost.

As he stood overlooking the marshes, an idea formed in his head. He moved towards the marshes and spoke the words of an ancient morgul spell. The surface of the waters shimmered and figures began to rise out, rotting corpses of elves, men and orcs lifted themselves out of the water and stared at Dakian.

"Show me the way," he hissed.

The spectres began to move and Dakian followed them. As Dakian moved through the ranks of the dead, he immersed himself in the evil that he himself had created. The path twisted and turned as Dakian moved purposefully towards the Mountains of Shadow. Anyone observing this horrific scene would have most likely died of fear. But there was no-one to observe. The Dead Marshes had lain silent for almost a thousand years.

The path was long. It took Dakian almost three days to cross the whole way. When he was finally at the end, he turned back to the dead.

"When I call you," he whispered, "you will come."

The dead began to fade back through the fog as Dakian turned and moved on.

"I am coming master…."

A/N: Chapter 2 complete! Many more on the way! Please review when you get a chance.