Cubby: *Sneaks in through the window in ninja outfit with a grocery bag. Makes way to kitchen and gets a glass of milk. Opens bag and a glow comes out before she pulls out a bag of cookies. Pulls one out of bag but right as she is about to eat there is a thumping. Looks to her milk and sees it vibrating.* No... no no no... Grah!
Ren: *Comes running and tackles Cubby* Mine! *Takes the cookies and runs.*
Cubby: *Twitches on the floor*
Avp: *Comes in the kitchen half asleep in his bath robe. Doesn't seem to notice the scene as he grabs the jug of milk and drinks from it. He then looks to the reader.* ... Meh... *Goes back to sleep forgetting to put the milk back.*
Disclaimer: See first chapter.
Chapter 7 – The White Wizard
The young orange wizard spent most of her morning outside, away from her home. The main reason was her growling stomach which forced her to gather some more food for herself, and her possible guest today. The other reason was the constant jabs of loneliness, the memory of the past few days which she spent with the dark creature. Despite his grumpiness, she actually found that she enjoyed his company, the fact that he is so easy to anger and frustrate only added to the fun she felt around him. It meant fun for her, not as much for him. But maybe… one day he will understand.
She walked back into the clearing with a bowl full of berries and nuts she gathered, seeing she wanted something different today. But before she could reach her home she froze when she felt something different. Something… familiar… yet strange. She couldn't put her finger on it. A part of her reacted to it positively, the other tried to cower away in fright. That was until she saw a white figure standing in front of her house. At first a ting of fear ran through her but then the magic signature wasn't right. As he turned around slowly, revealing his person, she dropped the bowl.
"G-gandalf?..." she stuttered then got a huge grin on her face. "Gandalf!" she yelled with excitement before running up and tackling him, hugging him tightly. She couldn't be happier to see him then she was now. "Oh Gandalf I'm so happy to see you!"
The recently appointed White wizard laughed with her as he hugged her back tightly, patting her back gently before pulling away a little bit to look at her more. While he was surely old, he was still sturdy enough to withstand her assault of tackles and hugs.
"Hyano. You certainly grew since I last saw you. How many years was it?" he asked, chuckling before patting her shoulder and let her go.
"Too long! B-but I thought that... Where is Saruman?" she looked up at him confused. He was a white now? But what happened to the other white wizard? Not like she wasn't happy to see him, no, she was delighted to receive his company instead of the strict other istar, but she couldn't help but ask the reason for the swap.
Gandalf's face changed from the happy and cheerful one to a more serious, if not sad expression at the mention of the change of status. His eyes lowered to the ground and sighed. While Saruman certainly was a threat, and had to be punished for his treachery, he certainly didn't want a fellow wizard dead. Not like this at least. His betrayal shocked the whole Order, and shook the past Grey's belief and ageless respect for him…
"Saruman... has done various actions, which led to the current state of ranks. He has made many mistakes... Mistakes, which couldn't have been corrected, even if he tried."
Hyano cringed, knowing all too well what those words meant. If Saruman wasn't already dead, he would be soon. Gandalf wasn't one who liked to kill anymore then she did but he was more willing to if he thought it was needed. Even though Saruman scared her and treated her like dirt, she couldn't help feeling sorry for him. The younger wizard nodded and decided to change the subject from this sensitive topic.
"I'm sorry you had to come all this way Gandalf... I didn't mean for those two men to die. But no matter what I do the villagers refuse to listen to me." she said choosing to go ahead and jump into the situation she knew the White wizard was there for. "Before you ask. No... I didn't kill them... I was asleep when it happened... I have the bruises from when one of them kicked me into a wall to prove it." she added, thinking she had better stop that thought in its tracks. She was sure that was what the villagers had told him but it wasn't true.
"To the point, hmm?" He chuckled at her eagerness, and listened to her words, before looking around briefly for a place to sit down. It was a long journey, and his tired legs did need a bit of rest. "Let us get first a bit more comfortable." He said, before tapping his staff gently, watching as the tree behind him lowered a good sized branch just in a good level for him to sit down on. The tree behind Hyano lowered a branch as well, offering a seat for her too, not far from the White wizard. "I have received, and read their concern about you." he started, meeting her gaze with his own gentle ones. "As the head of our Order, I had to address this situation and ease their troubled mind." he paused, taking a deep breath, then exhaled, more to give time for himself to think about his next words. He was not one to practice speeches, as things might change along the way. "You still remember what your master taught you about humankind, don't you? Humans are maybe more developed than any animal, but their thinking is still... primitive. It is up to us, wizards, to guide them if they need it and teach them of patience and how nature works. Never use violence against them or they will automatically answer the same way. They tend to go back to the thinking of their ancestors, lose sight of reason and be deaf to explanation, if they are desperate. You, as a wizard, have to be... smarter than them. Even go as far as... tricking them. Just for the greater good of course." he added the last sentence with a smile, hoping she will understand it. He did not yet get to the 'beast' as the villagers called it, but will soon voice his concern about it as well.
Hyano smiled a little relaxing under his words as she sat beside him and listened to all he had to say, then sighed. "I do try... but the reason this all started is because in the end I'm still a child in their eyes and a girl no less. I tried countless times to explain to those men that the potion they were after would not be ready until the following day. It was like talking to a tree herder. They just wouldn't listen... then they came at night. Destroyed my home…"she stopped getting to the part she knew she couldn't explain without lying.
The White wizard gave her a kind smile, nodding at her as she told him what happened. "This is why we wizards need to use our more developed abilities to forego such trouble. Maybe... you could have given them a potion that had no effect, and told them that their elder might be helped with it until you are ready to give him the real potion. It is not a lie, after all you wouldn't have said it will help. Just that it might. The men attacked you because they were desperate. Like a pack of wolves. If you go too close to their den, they will feel threatened and attack. Mostly they don't listen to reason either and you do end up maybe killing a few to ensure your safety." He tried to explain as best as he could, before clearing his throat and continuing. "Of course, you are still young. Mistakes can be made, and forgiven easily at this time. When I was your age, I have made the most in the wizard history, I am sure. But you learn best from the mistakes you made." he chuckled at this, remembering his own time as a young lad, although time and ages faded the memory, but there were a few… mischievous deeds he did, which he could and would never forget.
The young istar relaxed a little at his words of encouragement and nodded but there was still the matter of Ren. she was sure no matter what mistakes the white wizard made in his past he never pulled a stunt like the one she was about to tell him. Though, this was the type of thing all children think about their elders. For all she knew, he could have almost destroyed the world at one point. That was something humans commonly worried about when it came to wizards. This didn't make her own confession easier, however. If there was one thing she didn't want to do, it was tell the White wizard a lie, who was the only person she could ever talk to freely without the fear of judgment. The least she can do in return is to not disappoint him, or give him a reason to distrust her. "Gandalf... the reason those men died was because they attacked while I slept and the creature I was tending to reacted. If he hadn't been here… I'm sure those men would have tried to kill me that night... if..." she sighed rubbing her hand over her staff. She was nervous obviously and knew that no matter how she put this she was sure to get in trouble and Ren might be hurt as well. However, if she lied to Gandalf he would know. He always knew. It was odd how he could practically read your mind without the use of magic. "... Do you know anything about a creature named Ren?" she inquired wondering if he knew the Wraith by name.
Gandalf took on a thoughtful expression, frowning a bit as she asked him the question. Finding it… suspicious in itself. "There can be many called by this name. I myself know a few. Which... creature... are you talking about?" He asked, watching her. Well, this was the next topic he wanted to talk about, and he was glad she was the one bringing it up.
"... Not long before the men came, a creature in a black cloak fell from the sky... Even from a distance I could have been able to tell he was a creature of darkness but he was badly hurt and low on power. So I brought him home. I didn't find out until I visited the village later what exactly I brought home... or rather who. I brought home a Ringwraith named Ren." she explained to him as best she could and got ready to get yelled at for doing something so foolish.
The wise man watched her rather shocked, looking her over, as if he wasn't sure who he is talking to. Or if she was the same wizard he knew. "A Ringwraith?" He asked, repeating it, before lowering his gaze to the ground, thinking. In the next moment, he quickly met her gaze again. Once he talked, his tone was full with concern, and carried authority. "I thought all Nine perished with Sauron... Mount Doom erupted, sending each after him into the Abyss... Are you sure it was one of them?" he was about to ask if it was a wraith she was talking about, something lesser than the Nazgul... But he had to remember that most were under the control of the Ringwraiths themselves... So, they must have followed them into death.
"Yes... I am sure. Trust me. I am very sure." she said remembering the past few days. "He has stayed with me for a while and considers this his home now it seems... He... he seems to have a will of his own now. When the villagers told me what they were going to do I thought Saruman was coming. I was afraid what he might do when he found Ren, so I hid him away... now that you told me what he has been up to... I think I was all the more right for doing so." she added then her green eyes met his. "He isn't what everyone thinks. I know he is a creature of darkness but... there are other things to him... He understands and learns and..." she tried to explain what she had found out about Ren from the past few days but it wasn't easy. Ren wasn't human, she knew that but he sometimes almost seemed like one. He was curious, a hoarder at times, stubborn, full of himself. But he was also a good listener. Not that he actually did what he was told but he did understand what he was being told. To her he was more than just a mindless killing machine but how does one explain that to someone who has never seen it?
He did listen to her. He really did but… The fact that she never saw a Nazgul in the first place before as what they are made her to a too easy target and victim to the creature of pure darkness. He had to think of a way to solve the problem, and very fast. He lowered his gaze to the ground, his blue eyes searching it as if seeking answers and advice from the grass itself, then took a deep breath, thinking hard, before finally meeting her gaze again. His decision was made. Maybe too soon… Which might mean she may not like it.
"The Nazgul cannot stay with you. No matter how he behaves. He might be a wraith, but still a higher one... He knows to be careful as long as he is weak, but will be a threat to the world, especially the villagers here if he gains enough power. They will be his first target." he said firmly, gripping his staff tighter visibly to make a point of his authority, then continued with a hushed tone, as if he was afraid someone was eavesdropping, leaning slightly forward. "And we don't know if Sauron was truly destroyed or not. If he awakens again, he will herd the Nazgul back under his will. He will kill you without a second thought. No matter how much time goes by and how well you know each other in the end." He leaned even closer, his tone becoming more serious each second. "We have to remove him. Or at the very least take him back to Mordor. He won't be able to do any damage from there. Minas Morgul has been sieged and taken back to us. I will soon travel to cleanse its palantir. He will be guarded from there."
Tears sprang to her eyes as she listened to the final words of the leader of her Order. This is what she thought might happen. She jumped off the branch and gripped her staff. To a degree she knew he was right but something in her kept tugging that it wouldn't happen. It was likely her nature saying there was good in everyone or the fact part of her considered Ren a friend. She remembered how hostile he was towards her at first, then through the days this hostility slowly was replaced by mild annoyance. This was a progress… It made her feel accomplished, useful, and the time they spent together enabled her to get to know him as much as she could. He wasn't a bad person… At least she didn't think so. She understood that there was really nothing she could do, no matter what she said or did, Ren would be taken away and she would likely bring more damage to herself if she tried to fight it.
"... Gandalf, he saved my life and has had more than enough chances to kill me. I am basically a corpse at night. He could have been rid of me long ago or let those men kill me but he didn't... If you take him to Mordor then... I'll go too." she said turning to him.
He was never a very strict or ruthless wizard. Especially when it came to ones he knew. However, he had to keep to his words this time. He felt the truth behind her words and knew she was speaking of her heart, but he couldn't risk her for a creature that might destroy them all once he has the chance.
"Look... This... wraith... is more intelligent than most think. He simply didn't harm you yet because he knows survival. He knows you will protect him while he is weak... But what do you think will happen once he doesn't need you? Hmmm?" He tried reasoning with her, and make her realize the true danger behind the wraith. And going to Mordor? Yes, he is on his way to inspect the damage they did, and if he can, he will take the Nazgul with him. But her? She cannot survive without sunlight. "Even if Sauron is seemingly gone... the darkness remains in that land. The sun is powerless against those dark, heavy clouds. There is no light, Hyano. And without sunlight..." he trailed off, knowing she can understand it.
"I'll die like a flower... I know..." she said softly touching a hand to her shoulder. "I know what will happen... but... I can't just stay here." she added gripping her fist. "Isn't there another way? I tried turning him into a human already... heads up it doesn't work." she said then started to pace. "I can't stay here anyway. Eventually the village is going to try to come into the forest and they will find out the 'curse' I put on them is a lie. I will have to leave one way or another. Besides how else do you plan on getting him there? I am the only person Ren knows. Do you really think that he will go with you willingly? He doesn't even listen to me that well. He won't budge an inch for someone he doesn't know." she pointed out to him and she bit her lip as she tried to come up with any other options.
"There is plenty land on this world, Hyano. Mordor is just one of the many places. You could visit Greenwood, or go to Rohan's lands... Gondor... even the Shire with the hobbits. There are enough locations. Just choose one. As for... the wraith..." he trailed off, his mood darkening just a little. He fell silent as he brought up a hand and started to caress his beard, meeting her eyes. He knew she just wanted to make sure nothing happens to the Nazgul... But this care can be associated to her nature... and the fact that she didn't yet see what one of his kind can do. "If needed, I will force him. But perhaps he will go willingly, after he knows I will guide him back to Mordor. He surely seeks to go back."
"Maybe... but..." she sighed as she realized there was no point in arguing. He would not let her go. There was no way for her to go. She felt her shoulders slump. "Just... please don't destroy him, Gandalf." she practically begged then wiped her eyes to keep him from seeing her cry. Of course she was sad. The closest thing she had to a friend -honestly very sad that it had to be a wraith- is about to be taken away.
"If he doesn't give me a reason to..." He trailed off. Even he wasn't sure if he will have to destroy it or not. He cannot let it regain its strength for sure, and if he sees the chance, he might have to try to ensure he won't threaten the world anymore.
"... he is in the cave up the mountain..." she said and pointed for him. "I can take you there if you like... or we can eat and relax first..." she suggested not surprised if his trip might have worn out the far older looking man.
At the mentioning of food, his eyes lit up, and a smile traced his lips. "Well, this certainly doesn't sound so bad... It had been a while... But..." He paused and stood up, using his staff to help him lift himself, then patted the branch, thanking the tree for the support and watched as it raised its limb into place. "... are you sure the Nazgul will stay in that cave until we eat and rest? I also plan to quickly visit the village. Just to prove to them I have addressed the problem, and dealt with it accordingly. Of course... I won't tell them what the 'beast' was..." He added, before standing in front of the much smaller wizard, reassuring her that he will keep the wraith's presence a secret from the humans. It would only cause unnecessary panic among those in Middle-Earth. Because if he manages to convince him to accompany him to Mordor, he might have to go as soon as possible.
Hyano thought about the question. "I believe so. I have a Shipmunk up there watching him just in case so if he does leave he will come tell me." she said with a smile. She trusted her little friend to keep her in the loop if anything happened. The little girl quickly ran inside and got them both a bowl of fairy jam. "Sorry about the lack of...well anything. Just about everything went up in flames during the fire so I will have to work to get all my belongings back." she said before holding out a bowl to him.
He took the bowl with a small nod in thanks, and inspected the content briefly, before raising his kind gaze to meet her busy figure, trying to find a reason behind everything. "Do not rush. Take it easy. You have all the time in the world to redecorate your... quite neat new home..." he gestured with his head towards the 'tree-house' which -judging by the fresh earth next to it- was quite recently created. "I see Radagast taught you well in magic. You developed nicely over the years. Now you can do more complex magic." He smiled,
The orange istar smiled with pride as he complimented her work. It was a spell that took a lot of concentration, connection with the earth, and power. She thought if Radagast were here, he would have been proud of her.
"... Thanks for listening Gandalf... It's nice to know becoming a White wizard didn't change you like it did Saruman." she added before sitting on the ground.
"Well... Saruman never was one of the most kind Wizards. I did expect his change... But not what he did recently... It was a huge damage on our Order..." He trailed off, not sure if he should tell the young wizard about his treachery. No matter what happened, Saruman was a good and wise leader, strict but necessarily so. The wizards need a strong hand... And he wasn't sure if everything will go well under his much different leadership.
Hyano looked down, hearing worry in his voice. "Saruman was horrible to me. The moment he found out that my master had me for a student..." she shivered at the memory remembering the anger in his eyes. It had given her nightmares for a while. "Saruman may have been a strong wizard... but... Every time he would come around I was always afraid... The moment Radagast was gone... I was scared that he would take that chance to finally get rid of me... You are someone I can respect and work under without being scared. I think our order will do fine with you leading." she said trying to encourage him, noticing the barely visible flicker of uncertainty.
The older wizard couldn't help the smile that appeared and nodded at her compliment. "Thank you. But if I truly am the best choice as leader of our Order, only time will tell. Not everyone is made to lead. And Saruman had been maybe strict, but he was good in what he was doing. He kept our Order running without much trouble..." He said thoughtfully, before looking down at the bowl in his hand, thinking. "The only reason why he questioned your master's choice was because of your... 'sun dependent' life. He feared that you will be captured one day, and all our secrets would be lost in the grip of the enemy. You are too vulnerable when not in sunlight. And he saw it as a threat. While I do agree on this one concern... I do want to see how you manage. I want you to prove yourself in front of the Order. You will be a powerful wizard... all you need to do is turn your back to the harsh gazes and hold your head high... March on your path of life, don't let these obstacles hinder you on your way to success."
Hyano grinned and nodded. "I plan to... I'm glad you believe in me all the same... Before Radagast disappeared he said he was working on a way to fix my need for sunlight but... he disappeared before he either finished it or could tell me." she admitted. "I've found though that the more energy I gather the longer I can go without it. And I can even use moon light. It is only a reflection of sunlight. However, it doesn't work nearly as well. I will think of other solutions though as time goes on." she said determined.
He smiled and nodded at her determined words, pleased that she is working on a solution and isn't just waiting for it, or relying on someone else to do it for her. This gave him also the determination to aid her further and once time comes, to test her and welcome her into their order. Right now, she was still a novice wizard, not a true member, but protected by him and the other wizards. This also means, that they take the blame for every mistake she makes, and sort out every problem regarding her. But once she becomes a full member, she will be responsible for each action.
She had dealt with this for as long as she could remember. Once she went to a wizard meeting that lasted far longer then she expected and she fell out of her chair. Everyone but Radagast got a good shock out of it. He seemed to get a good kick out of the whole thing as if it was some big prank. If there was any other solution she would gratefully have taken it but as far as she knew the closest they had all involved dark magic and like Ren is to light magic, she can't handle dark magic anyway. It would probably just backfire and hurt the poor girl anyway. "Did my master ever tell the other wizards why I am this way?"
Gandalf frowned again, trying to search in his mind for anything regarding this certain trait among the conversations he had with the brown wizard, but all he could do was shake his head.
"I can't remember he ever mentioned it. We did have conversations about you, and your special trait, but he didn't mention the reason of your dependence..."
"I heard you always talk about it but I don't think he ever told you why I was this way. I thought I would go ahead and ask since you were here. My master... despite his ramblings wasn't much for telling anyone anything he considered important." she said with a light giggle at the memory of her master rambling on about random subjects all at once but never making any real points unless you listened rather closely. "As far as he told me I'm supposed to be dead already. But he never fully explained it to me." she admitted. Her master hadn't told her because he felt it might hurt her to know. He didn't want to ruin her otherwise happy way of living. She could smile no matter the sadness around her and Radagast never wanted to see that go away because of the foolishness of her parents. So he kept that sadness away from her.
"Maybe... There was a reason why he didn't tell you..." The White wizard said as he put down the bowl of food in his lap to fully concentrate on the much smaller apprentice. "Maybe... you aren't supposed to know..." He said rather mysteriously, before grabbing his staff and pointed it in her direction. "Maybe it is up to you to find out... A quest... A mystery waiting to be solved. Or a secret never to be revealed... If he wanted you to know... then he made sure you go on the right path to explore your very early days... Signs... clues... This is what you need to look for." He smiled at the end and put his staff down, curious if she will find anything, or maybe has an idea what her master decided to do. He didn't know if he should further aid her in this quest of hers, but the best would be probably to leave it to her completely.
She blinked a few times wondering if he was pulling her leg or teasing her, then got a grin at the idea of finding out more about herself and what kind of people she was related to. Had she been all human or part elf? She had no idea but now she couldn't help wanting to find out.
"Maybe... I would have to backtrack." she said and started to think even mumbling a little to herself as different thoughts and ideas flowed into her head then giggled. "Even when he hasn't been around so long I am still picking up my master's bad habit." she said then put her bowl to the side and jumped up. "Alright then... but first I must be sure my friend is taken good care of." she said referring to Ren as her friend for the first time. "Are you fully rested mister 'head' wizard?" she said emphasizing the 'head' on purpose with a grin.
Gandalf shook his head at her little joke and laughed, standing up now with the help of his staff. "Yes. I seem to be. But only a journey will tell. Maybe you will end up carrying me on your back." He chuckled at this, suddenly imagining the scene, but swatted the thought away. He wasn't that old of course. However, he couldn't help but notice her choice of words as she talked about the Nazgul no doubt. His cheerful attitude vanished suddenly and let his thoughts wander to the task ahead. "Let me first visit the village. I will reassure them about my presence and that the situation is taken care of. Of course... I will also give them a few good advices about civilized behavior." He winked at her, so she knows she wasn't the only one getting a 'lecture', if one can call it that. "Once I have the Nazgul at my side, I will hurry to Mordor... Just to make sure he doesn't change his mind..." With that, he turned and started walking towards the village, nodding to a family of squirrels as they passed by and greeted him, chirping, before moving on.
The little girl smiled and nodded. "I will go check on him then." she said and waved him off before cleaning up their bowls and making her way to the cave. Maybe she could explain to Ren beforehand what was coming. If he knew and Gandalf was right maybe this would make him more willing to... to go. As she thought about this her sadness at the thought of him leaving returned. She continued up to the cave a little slower. She would be alone again. While Gandalf was nice, she doubted he would stay at her side for very long. It wasn't in his nature, it wasn't in most wizard's nature. They were much like Nazgul, only far more friendly. They moved around searching and learning, often spending most of their time alone unless they had good reason or just felt like enjoying some company. It was very rare to see two wizards together for very long. She was snapped out of her thoughts as she started to hear squeaking cries coming from the cave.
"Ship?" she said then ran in and looked around the darkness. "Oh no..." he wasn't there! That wasn't good. She ran over to where she heard the call of the chipmunk and pulled the container off of him. "Ship! What happened?!" she said quickly scooping him up.
The chipmunk stood on its two legs in her palm and shook his fur, cleaning his eyes from the dust that collected under the box as he tried to dig his way from under the box... only to be held back by the sweet scent of the nuts and berries trapped with him. He chirped and squeaked, telling as much as he knew. All he knew was that the Nazgul crawled back into the cave and he followed, then took him in his hands and simply put him under the box. From here, he tried to lift it, dig himself out, but nothing worked. The floor of the cave was too hard for his tiny claws. If you can call them that on a chipmunk...
The little wizard cursed loudly for once then ran out of the cave and looked around for the dark signature of the Nazgul. His strength hadn't been much when he left so it was no wonder it was hard to find but she did find it. Putting the little rodent down, she instructed him carefully. "In the village there is a White wizard named Gandalf. Don't worry. You can't miss him. He is the only tall man you will find wearing white. Tell him what happened and that I'm going after him and will probably need help. Hurry!" she said then took off like a bullet after Ren.
The chipmunk chirped loudly and instantly went off, running as fast as its little feet could carry it, and it quickly climbed up a tree, using the trees to keep moving... Well, he didn't want to risk an owl, wolf, fox or eagle to catch him while he ran to get help.
"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!" she yelled. She was sure he couldn't have gotten far. It hadn't been that long and he was weak, there was no way and the fact it was daylight probably would work in her favor... she hoped.
She ran as fast as she could glad for her natural lightness on her feet. However, when she got a distance she began to worry. Had she gone the wrong way? She looked around worriedly. Why couldn't he have just listened for once? She thought to herself as she continued through the forest. She heard the sounds of a river and decided to stop for a moment for a drink. The child wizard knelt beside it using her hand to cup out the water and sighed. "Alright, Ren... how far are you?" she said to herself. She was so focused on finding her companion, her senses did not pick up on the fact she was being watched until out of nowhere an arrow went through her arm and forced out a heart wrenching scream from her. It was from both shock and shear pain. A man from the village, likely a friend of the men who had been killed was in a tree and was taking aim. Unlike the rest of the villagers who had avoided the forest after she fake-cursed them, he went straight in and was taking this chance to take his revenge.
In the mean time Ren paused, leaning against a tree with his side to rest for a moment before pushing himself away and continuing onward. He was determined to reach at least that log that lay there a few feet away... He would rest there again... He would always tell himself that he will only go as far as an object he saw in the forest, to trick his dazed mind into believing it and actually give all the strength he had left to go there... Then he would set a new object as goal and continue. His vision was already almost gone, but thanks to the shade of the tree, he could see the outline of everything. His head jerked up as suddenly he heard the familiar sound of water running. A river! Of course! He pushed himself away from the tree and went on, following the sound of the water, setting his mind on it. He did not hear her shouts as it was too far away. He actually went further than she thought he could. His determination and stubborn nature helped with his cause.
Suddenly, his senses picked up a scream and stopped in his tracks, almost falling face first in the sand on the shore of the river he wanted to cross. One of his feet was already halfway into the water, wanting to wade on the other side at this shallow part. He can't swim after all, but still felt he had enough determination to cross the running river without being swallowed by it. He had trouble determining who it belonged to, seeing he never heard it before. He tilted his head to the side, and finally recognized it as the dwarf's with his dazed mind, then angrily waved a hand in her direction and moved on, now being knee deep in the water. This was when his thoughts started to return. The scream didn't sound like it was of amusement or anger at seeing he was gone... But of pain. Something negative for sure. Not like he cared about her wellbeing at all. He even wanted her to suffer... But what made him stop again was the thought that... if something is happening to her now... and someone kills her before he could get his hands on her, he will pass the chance to punish her later, or kill her himself because of her behavior and attacks. But again... he didn't want to be found. If she sees him now, she won't leave him alone for sure. He didn't want to give-away his position... But the thought of revenge was still so strong in his mind, that it caused him to turn around and actually come out of the river... and stagger back into the forest.
"Finally." The man said, as he saw his arrow hit home and smirked. He never believed a word of what the wizard said of not being awake when his friends died. Oh no... She was surely awake, just faking it... Wanting them to go down into the cellar to let them feed her beast. Which hopefully died in the fire. He drew his bow again and took aim, but decided to take his time. The wizard is surely stunned now and has to deal with the pain. So, he has time to give her a piece of his mind before relieving her of her misery. He jumped down from the tree and took a few steps towards her. "Well well... Lying about my friends' death and now about the curse, are we? Did you think I will let you get away with it? I know you have been awake when they died! You just waited for them to check out your basement... So they can become food to whatever monster was lurking there. What is it? Ran out of food for that monster? Aren't your rabbits enough for it? Do you need people from the village now?" He shouted angrily, holding the bow firmly, aiming still, ready to shoot.
Hyano looked up at him tears in her eyes stepping back until she met a tree and slumped against it. "I...I…" she stuttered, having trouble getting herself to speak through the pain and fear gripping her. She gritted her teeth and gripped her arm. No. She was a wizard. She could do this. "I wasn't lying about being asleep!" she yelled. "I can only live during the time when the sun comes out. After that my body is forced to crash!" she added trying her best to mask all the fear and pain she was in from her voice but despite all this her voice did crack several times. "I'm sorry about your friends and about lying about the curse but I had no choice. Your village refused to listen to me." she panted as she got those final words out. If she lived through this there was no way in hell's name she was going to continue living around here.
The man laughed, and then shouted back to her. "Lies, lies! All lies! Just like your curse. You are no better than those orcs who came to destroy our village! Selfish little brat! What did you think? That you will go ahead and feed that beast on us? Well, it would have had food for months... But it ends now... You good for nothing wizard! If I even should call you that... You bring disgrace to the Istar by your actions!" He said, then took aim. "Any final words?" He asked with a smirk, aiming for her neck. What he didn't know was that a dark figure started sneaking up to him from behind. Well... did his best to sneak. The sword in his hand gleamed once as the sun's rays touched it.
The girl cringed at his yells and didn't move. Again with the like of comprehension. It was easy to see that this man was too full of rage to hear a word she was saying. It wasn't even worth the effort. She was close to signing off on her death papers when a shine caught her eye. She wasn't sure what it was at first, then the idea that it was Gandalf popped into her head. She hadn't expected him so soon but that old wizard did have a tendency of popping up when you least expected it. She let go of her wounded arm and gathered a fist full of dirt in it. "Yeah... you talk too much!" she said then threw the dirt in the man's eyes.
The man grit his teeth and closed his eyes instantly, having noticed her movement, he shielded his eyes from the dirt before it reached him, but his momentary distraction was all that the shadowy figure needed to get close enough. The moment the man looked back at her and took better aim, he let out a grunt and his eyes widened at the sudden feeling of pain in his abdomen. He could feel the stinging pain of metal cutting his flesh and remained motionless. The attack was silent, coming from behind, and he had no idea who it was. The person didn't grip him, just thrust the sword forward to stab him. His grip on his bow however didn't loosen, as his muscles were stiff for a moment, but his arms lowered. By the time he released the string of his bow the arrow pierced the ground instead. He fell to his knees first, before landing face-first, only twitching a few times. While he fell, there was a satisfied hiss coming from the foliage as the attacker drew back, not wanting to go any closer. He didn't want her to follow him, or see him... He wanted to get away to hide and only come back once he had most of his power back... to seek his own revenge...
Hyano was left stunned, her green eyes huge at what she just saw. She had never been right in the middle of a kill before. Unless you counted the night she had been asleep, however she had no memories of even the sounds of that night. There was no way that could have been Gandalf, he would have hit a warning blow, something to knock the man down and if he continued then go into more violent hits. But not a swift kill. Unless it was a real battle that was far from the Gandalf she knew. Then it hit her.
"Ren?" she said confused. He had run off... but he also saved her. However he wasn't coming any closer. He must still be angry with her, so she gritted her teeth as she got up onto her knees then took a deep breath and bowed her head. "I'm sorry!" she called out, sure the dark creature could both see and hear her.
Well, the wraith wasn't surprised she recognized him. If nothing else, his anger and dark aura might have been a good give-away. But that didn't mean that he will walk out now and help her back to her home. He only saved her hide because he wanted his revenge later. For this, he had to make sure she survived. Now, he wondered if she will be able to go back to her house or use her oh so powerful magic to heal herself. But... this wasn't his concern anymore. Not now at the very least. He didn't consider her wounds too bad, so should be able to survive on her own... or with the help of the man she wanted him to flee from. He did see her apologizing, but only hissed back furiously at it. No apologizing will make up for his bruised pride. Not as long as he felt this offended.
He was about to back up again and continue on his way, when he was sudden swept from his feet by no other than magic, and thrown out of the bushes towards the riverbank, farther away from the dwarf. He shrieked in surprise and landed heavily there. Having not much more energy left, the wraith stayed silent, not moving.
The person who attacked ran out as well, with his staff held in his hands, ready to assault the Nazgul again if he moved. Gandalf just now arrived at the scene, with the chipmunk on his shoulder, only to see Hyano on the floor, blood seeping from a wound. And who could have caused it? The only one around was the Ringwraith with a drawn sword. However... he missed the dead man on the ground entirely.
"Are you alright?" he asked her as he held his gaze on the hissing creature, as it finally tried to stand, or at least sit. He dropped his sword at the bushes, so even if he tried he wouldn't be able to fight back with anything... Anything... beside his morgul blade, which was hidden in his cloak. He will use it if there was no other option...
Hyano knew all the older wizard wanted to do was help but he had the situation all wrong. She quickly used as much strength as she had to run between him and the one who saved her.
"Stop! Gandalf he saved my life!" she told him then with her good arm pointed to the body lying limp on the ground. She then turned to Ren. "Stay. please." she said. She wasn't ordering but simply asking him this time trying to show him that he could relax. It was the best she could do. She was starting to feel weak in the knees. A child's body wasn't meant to take this much abuse in one week.
The old wizard frowned, and still keeping his staff pointed at the creature of darkness, he turned his gaze to where Hyano pointed at. "Oh..." He saw the man now. The bow near him was easy to recognize, just like the arrow stuck in the ground not far from him... And the bloody one not far from where the little wizard was laying. "My apologies." He said slowly, and drew back his staff carefully, still eyeing the hissing Nazgul who did everything in his power to stand and pull back from both of them, despite Hyano telling him to stay. Because he still didn't understand her second word, he took it another command, and he won't obey her words at all now. Gandalf reached out towards her injured hand, and took it gently.
"What did you get yourself into now?" he chuckled, despite the situation, and put his much older hand on her arm, whispering a few words, and letting the warming light engulf her wound and seal it.
Once done, he turned towards the hissing wraith, which was almost angrily spitting like a cat, backing up from him. He couldn't help a smile forming on his lips and sighed. "Ah yes... Well... This won't be as easy. He knows me already as I have fought him near Minas Tirith before, and surely still remembers the blinding light I cast upon him and his brethren." Which will make the situation more difficult as it was.
"Gandalf maybe I can help. I can come with you as far as is possible then part ways at that point. I have spent quite some time with him. Maybe I can convince him to go on his own. He won't go if we order him to but if he decides to on his own then it might make things easier." she pleaded hoping this idea might work.
The White wizard watched her for a few seconds, not saying a word and not moving. His gaze traveled a few times between Hyano and the Nazgul, contemplating deeply and thoroughly his options before making a decision. While he did think that the much younger wizard knew most about this creature, considering she had spent quite some time on his side now, but he had more knowledge about their true behavior. This Nazgul might become a threat to her on the way, but he might feel more secure if someone else is with them who he knows. But then again... how things look... she doesn't seem to have as much control over him as she thought.
"Well... All I can say is that it will be a quite dangerous journey. If you can prove me that he truly listens to you... I might consider. Otherwise, for the sake of your well-being, I will not risk it." He told her, with a hint of authority in his tone, but was willing to give her a chance.
She looked up at him for a moment before thinking. This would be hard, seeing Ren was furious with her after her stunt the other day. That's why he wouldn't listen to her. How was she supposed to get him to listen now? She thought a moment. He obviously wanted payback. How was she supposed to... She looked her staff and got an idea. The child smirked then put it in the ground before leaning against it like it was a tree. In this position she looked like she could easily be knocked over but she herself didn't seem to notice. She was allowing Ren a very simple means to not only acquire 'his' staff back but see her fall like she had done to him.
The White wizard raised both eyebrows at her actions, and wondered what she wanted with this position. For a moment, he wondered if there are some unspoken signs they communicate with, or developed a series of actions that might tell each other what the other wanted... But seeing the motionless, staring, still hissing Nazgul, he was starting to think that this might not be the case. But who knows... So, not wanting to disturb the two for now, and attempting to calm the aggressive wraith, he took a few steps back, and watched them from slightly afar, but close enough to jump in if the dark creature tried anything.
Ren stayed put, making sure to follow the movements of the wizard, occasionally hissing at him, still attempting to at least sit up, and maybe stand if he could. After about a few minutes of desperate tries, he managed to sit and could watch now both more closely. His attention was taken by the sudden movements coming from the dwarf as she stuck her staff into the ground and leaned against it. He fell silent and tilted his head to the side, not exactly understanding her sudden change in behavior. She was as confusing as ever, and he was still mad, seeking revenge. He did see the opportunity, and did judge the situation as it was, but decided not to make a move. For two reasons. One being, that the wizard was watching. If he as much as lashed out towards the dwarf, who he seems to protect, he will be blasted away again, humiliating him further. The second was the fact that she seemed to want it. No matter how she played she didn't care, he could tell by the situation itself. And that wasn't revenge if the victim was willing. Also, it wasn't enough to mend his broken pride. It was shattered beyond repair, and wanted to give it back on his own, when she doesn't expect it... It is more amusing that way... So, he simply sat there, watching her, not making a move.
It seemed that Ren wasn't taking the bait. On to the next idea then. She waved Ship over to her from Gandalf and let the little rodent climb up to her shoulder before pulling the staff out of the ground and looking to Ren. She sat cross legged in front of him. If he wasn't going to take it yet maybe she could simply show him what they wanted. If he decided to go on his own then that would be more than enough. She tossed him the staff –which the Nazgul easily caught in his grip, and lowered his gaze to it, setting it into his lap securely. Now she won't get it back... ever. This was his first thought the moment he touched it. But maybe this was what she expected from him? No matter. The staff is and will remain his. In the mean time the young istar pulled some sand out. A figure of them making their way to Mordor appeared however before they got too close her figure stayed behind. She looked up to him with an questioning gaze.
The wraith's grip on the staff tightened, not sure if he should even react to this. The wizard standing not far was an enemy to him, and as it seems she knew him as well... which makes him a bit more wary of everything. He wasn't afraid of course... just distrusting. He hummed at this, and kept his invisible gaze on the sand-made Mordor. Slowly, but surely, he released the staff with one hand and reached out, touching the border with an armored finger, almost as if he missed it... but drew it back in the next second. Yes... he wanted to return and search for his lost master... and his lost brethren, who he still hoped to meet again... But going with them was out of question...
She smiled a little, noting his almost human-like act of longing, although she knew this wasn't the reason why he did this. Well, it was good to know he wanted to go at least. However it still seemed he didn't want to go with them. She thought a moment then got an idea. The figures changed the elder wizard's figure disappearing and the Nazgul seeming to lead her towards the destination. If he believed he was in control of the situation then maybe he would be more willing. She was sure Gandalf would not be the biggest fan of this idea but in her head it still sounded reasonable.
The dark creature stared at the new scene long and hard. No matter what, if he was to go back to Mordor he didn't want anyone to be around. He wanted to make it on his own, not be slowed down, not be ushered, neither be seen as he struggled. Also, before he returns, he wanted to be in a good condition. Even now, before he stopped to save her hide so he can have his revenge later did he not want to go straight for Mordor. But he wanted to go to a place where he can rest and regenerate through days of meditation. Once he was in a better condition, he can travel days without needing to meditate. She would only slow him down at night. After all, she goes to sleep when he awakens, and he did plan to travel at night mostly. From sundown to sunrise, then hide from the sunlight. With these thoughts in his mind, he shook his head with a hiss and grabbed the staff to squish the figure resembling her, and only let his own stand. He will go alone. He sat, crossing his arms, as if daring her to say otherwise.
Hyano raised a brow at this then decided to point something out to him. She snapped her fingers and his figure came under attack. As much as he like to act like he was in power she knew he was weak and if he went alone and came across the wrong people he would likely have more than just his pride hurt. Once she was sure she had this point across to him she also showed him how she was forced to stop before she got too close to the mountain anyway. She couldn't follow him the whole way. No matter what happened or how much she wanted to she could not pass into the lands with no sun for very long. She thought a moment before allowing her figure to step into the shadows. As it did she slowly started to fade like a flower then died. So, one way or another he would eventually be on his own anyway.
The wraith shook his head at her attempt to convince him otherwise. He gripped the staff and simply pointed it at the place where his figure was, then simply slid the end of it along the sand somewhere else, indicating he did not wish to return now. He tapped that place a few times to show her he will stay there, before he slid the tip towards Mordor. He will rest well before going on his way anyway. No need for watchers, who would only slow him down or cause even more trouble than he would with his presence.
The girl tilted her head at this for a moment. So he didn't want to go back. That surprised her a little. She considered this for a moment before making an image of their home appear and tapped the tree roof lightly.
"Stay?" she questioned him lightly. For the moment she had actually forgotten about Gandalf and what she was supposed to be doing. She was more curious about what the creature in front of her wanted. She remembered how much he wanted to stay at the house, the place he considered his.
So now... after she blasted him out of his own territory, she wanted him to go back? Can't she decide now what she truly wanted? Wait... when was he ever considering her thoughts? Yes, that territory was his, and his alone, and she shattered his pride by blasting him away from it. A dwarf... 'chasing' him out of his own home... What a shame... He hoped his master truly didn't see that one, and looking at her still caused that disturbance in his mind. He could always demand it back, returning to the territory he never considered lost, and demand she leave. He could at least rest for days and weeks without being disturbed. At least not by her. On the day, he was still very much vulnerable, and if he wanted to survive, he will need someone who ensures his undisturbed resting when the sun rays touch the earth. But he still couldn't imagine it to be her. Not anymore. This same shameful feeling would return if he was depending on her this much. And these annoying humans might return any moment... The tree house might not be an option anymore... At least not without some of his powers in place. He didn't say anything or move, as he was too engulfed in the conflict within himself, but stared at it, and at Mordor, and let his invisible gaze wander around the primitive map laid out to him.
She watched his inner turmoil then changed the scene letting Mordor fade and the house grow. Instead of it being an option though it was a memory. The first time she brought him home. How they didn't get a long yet she tried anyway. Some of the funny moments and so on. She then spun her hand and created what she had feared would happen had he stayed at the house earlier. How if the wizard had seen him he might have destroyed him on the spot no questions asked.
"... sorry Ren..." she said looking up to him. She wanted to really explain why she did what she did. She hoped it might help her case a bit. She reached out and tapped his figure it appearing in the cave. Once the wizard was gone her figure ran up to get him and bring him back home. "Safe..." she said softly.
Oh yes... he remembered that one. Very clearly at that. He did not understand care or concern, so he did not understand the reason behind her actions still. He shook his head and hissed at her, giving voice to his displeasure about this particular matter and gripped the staff tighter. He would have wanted to stay and protect his own territory. People coming to them to destroy him or not. It was unheard of that a wraith is kicked from his own home. They are respected and feared... If it wasn't for her, he would have most of his power back by now. Resting for days without end... She was just difficult and sought his attention when he wished to rest. In this case, he wasn't able to make a decision. However, he did not trust the wizard that was around... so going with him was out of question. But staying with her can be risky, and being alone might cause his demise if he was sighted by the mortals. He didn't even know what he should expect in Mordor... If it was taken, and his master was truly gone, he needed to hide instead of going back...
She raised a brow deciding he was just being a pain. She set up the two options in front of him. He either went to Mordor or to the house. She was making that more than clear to him right now.
"Mordor...?" She said, looking up at him for a moment, pointing towards the shape of the dark land. "Home?" she said pointing to the tree house this time. She would deal with Gandalf in a second. First she had to handle understanding what in heaven's name this dark thing in front of her wanted to do.
Or hiding... That was the other option in Ren's mind. As in not Mordor and not his territory, but maybe place it elsewhere... without her that is. His decision if he wanted to go back or not depended on the current state of the dark land. If it was in mankind's ownership he didn't want to go back. That would be like... surrendering. And the Nazgul never surrender. He looked at Mordor and tilted his head to the side, wondering how to ask the question. He pointed at the dark land, and said a few words in his native tongue, asking what happened to it. He wasn't sure how to voice his question in her tongue, so tilted his head to the side, meeting her gaze with his invisible ones, making it clear it was a question than a decision.
She tilted her head. Alright, he asked a question and pointed to Mordor. Maybe he wanted to know what was going on there. She didn't know much herself really. Only what she had been told. The child thought a moment before changing the image showing him what had happened to the mountain that she knew of along with what happened to the rest of the Wraith and what should have happened to him. She thought he should know anyway. He likely wished to find the others and allowing him to believe that they were in a similar state to himself was just wrong. As far as she knew the mountain was in fact taken over. She looked up to him wondering how he would take that.
His gaze, just like his hooded head, wandered from the images and looked from one part of the once magnificent land to another, not quite believing what was shown him. All his brethren... truly gone... just like how he remembered. He thought at least a few survived, with whom he can start rebuilding the strongholds, recreate the army and find a way to bring back their lord. But if he truly was alone... this would be all too difficult. He looked at the mountain, then at the place where Barad-dur was, then back again, before lowering his gaze to the staff, now unsure if he truly wanted to go back. If the humans took over Mordor, then his return would only result in captivity... or death. No... he cannot go back... Not yet at least. He will return one day to reclaim the land in the name of his lord... but until then, he has to take care of himself, and find a way to replace their army... But for this, he will need help. His thoughts switched to the dwarf and her not so bad abilities... Perhaps... she can be useful to him after all. Seeing she tried to hide him many times, which means she is considering him as an ally… So, in the next second, he grabbed the staff and slowly pointed to the sand figure that resembled the tree house.
"Hoooommmeeeeee..." he whispered, his shoulders slumping, now saying a word in her language once more, willing to communicate.
Hyano grinned at this. Finally he made a choice. Now for the hard part.
Gandalf.
She put the sand away and nodded before walking over to the White wizard, trying to keep the satisfied, even happy smile off of her face as best as she could. But her inner self made it difficult as it was. Suddenly, it felt like a huge weight was taken from her shoulder, like she could breathe again… Her only company isn't lost after all.
"Gandalf I know you said he should go to Mordor but... do you think there is a way he could be kept here? It would be a lot easier. He is willing which means he won't be nearly as much of a problem as he would if you tried to force him to go to Mordor. also you know where it is and how to find me if anything happens." she said trying her best to be both respectful while also pushing to gain what she believed was the best option.
Despite being farther away, Gandalf heard everything. Her struggle, then the word that the Nazgul said in the mutual language. So, after knowing what happened to Mordor, the Ringwraith's free mind concluded that his return would not be safe. This gave the wizard some relief, that Sauron is either truly destroyed or too weak to cause any trouble for the next centuries to come, because this meant that he had no power over the decisions of his closest servants. But this didn't make the wraith less of a threat. He looked at Hyano, then moved his gaze to watch the Nazgul as it tilted its hooded head to the side, and like a curious child started to poke the riverbank where the form of Mordor was built of sand before, as if expecting it to grow back there without magic. He must say, it was amusing to watch a Ringwraith behave like this, but the peace might be only momentary and temporary.
"Ringwraiths are very dangerous, Hyano. Despite his lord's grip vanished, he is still an evil creature. He is of dark magic, which can never be cleansed." He paused to look at her with a heavy sigh. "He has to go back to Mordor or we have to attempt to destroy him. He will one day seek revenge and lordship over everything living... as it is in their nature... If Sauron does come back, the situation is even graver... We have to make the right decision..." he said, his tone carrying his sadness, but as the White Wizard, he had to ensure the safety of this land…before he departed.
"But Gandalf, he wasn't always like this. He was a human once wasn't he?" she tried to argue. "It is our job to protect and help the humans isn't it? This is a human we failed and now he is lost... I want to at least try to help him. Maybe... help him learn to be human again. He can make choices for himself but he seems to always be waiting for someone else to make a decision for him. He is almost like a child. He throws fits. He plays. He even laughs. You can ask Shipmunk." she said pointing to the little rodent on his shoulder. "They have spent some time together too. He was scared of him too but now I don't think so." she said looking to her little friend for some sort of support.
"Hyano..." he started with a sigh, lowering his gaze first before meeting her eyes again. "You have no idea what powers a full strength Nazgul has... what darkness they emit... And what they are capable of doing. You haven't seen them yet. Your mind is clouded by your inexperience and your caring nature." He then pointed his staff towards the wraith as it sat there, still staring at the sand. "This creature does not understand love, care, concern or any emotion that distinguishes us from those who chose a darker path. He knows only his authority, his superior rank and of course he knows survival. It might be only acting he does to prevent any suspicion. We have to make sure he is well guarded. Mordor is the best place for that. And you cannot help him become human anymore in nature... Everything human was destroyed slowly by his ring, never to be reclaimed..."
"And your mind is clouded only by what you have seen. Yes, I haven't experienced them at their worst but that just means I have a fresh look at what he could become." she replied then pointed at the Nazgul, who didn't even pay any heed to them anymore. "And if what you say is true then why does he show signs of curiosity? Why does he laugh? Why does he feel betrayal by someone he doesn't care about? Why does he seem to like music? These are all human qualities. The master ring is gone meaning it has no hold over him anymore. The source of the darkness that made him this way no longer exists. Can you honestly tell me you know anymore about how this will affect him than I do?" she asked him.
The old wizard smiled at her determination, how she holds her ground against his word, trying to get her opinion across, not letting him decide so soon. He valued this quality in her, but he won't express it. He didn't want to spoil her too much, but carry on as they usually do.
"There is one thing you don't know about dark magic, is that it cannot be changed to the best. While the ring deactivated before, sinking into the unknown, the dark magic that lived within the Nazgul kept them under Sauron's flag. He will not switch sides just because his master seems to be gone. And as I said... we can never be sure if he truly is gone. Everything he does is in his own benefit; he would never do anything selfless, or just to help someone. While I do know that we don't know much about Nazgul with free wills, our task is to keep this world safe... and a Nazgul... is considered everything but safe. It is a threat to this world. We are wizards, Hyano. Never forget our task."
"Then let me protect a part of it. I am a wizard in training technically anyway. My first job is to prove to you that I can hold my own as a real wizard. What better way than this? Let me see what I can learn from him. If Sauron does return you can bet that he will bring the other Nazgul with him as well. What better way to prepare for that than to let a wizard in training learn what there is to learn from one? You can't learn a thing with him dead or in a cage and he doesn't trust you. We both can see that. But I can." she pointed out to him.
The wizard hummed at this, tapping his staff with a finger, thinking about all this thoroughly. "Our Order already was damaged because of Saruman. The people's trust in our kind is decreasing at each bad decision we make." He paused to let her understand the weight of this situation. If the people don't trust them enough, their existence in this world is useless... "Are you sure you will be able to hold him under control? Are you sure you can make the necessary decisions if fate calls for it? If he truly becomes a threat? Are you sure you can see past your caring nature and realize his reason of existence?"
She thought a moment then nodded. "If he becomes a threat I will do what I have to. I promise that if anything happens I will take full responsibility for whatever comes of it." she replied knowing this also meant that she would suffer full judgment if anything went wrong. It was a scary thought to think of. Any number of things could happen to her depending on how this turned out. It could range between her powers being taken away to her death. However she really believed this was the right choice.
"While within our Order you are now responsible for this creature and its actions, I will take full responsibility towards the outside world, as the leader of our Order. I trust in your judgment for now, but we will keep in touch frequently to ensure the safety of this world. Study him carefully, and don't make a mistake. Because any wrong step can cause the whole world to turn against us." The white wizard warned her as he was supposed to. He did not trust the creature, but Hyano brought up a few good reasons why to at least try and study it. With time, who knows, maybe even he can inspect him more closely. "Be careful. And remember our task in this world." He smiled at her, then shifted his gaze at the Nazgul, before lowering it again to the young apprentice.
The young wizard smiled after, with a bit of work he finally gave in. "Thank you Gandalf!" she said happily before hugging the much older man tightly. "I will do my best I promise." she said looking up to him happily. This was wonderful. She was sure she could do quite a lot with Ren. He was already starting to learn their language, maybe with time he could improve to an even greater degree. "I should get him home then. The shadows are large enough that he should be able to travel rather easily now. Will you be sticking around for long?" she inquired curiously.
The old man chuckled and laughed as she embraced him, returning it as best as he could, leaning down a little. He patted her back a little before he let go of her and put his hands on her shoulders.
"Let us hope my decision is the best for everyone. If there is trouble, don't hesitate sending word to me. As for what I will do..." he trailed off, standing straight now and tapping the ground once with his staff, casting a glance at the creature before turning back to Hyano. "... I think I will head back to Isengard for now. There are still many matters needing my attention, I have to sort through the remained items, and prepare them for transportation. Then, I will head to Minas Morgul and oversee the restoration of the palantir." He paused, and stared at her for a few seconds, before adding. "I guess... This means a goodbye."
She grew sad at this fact and it showed in her bright green eyes but she refused to let it show anywhere else. She smiled up at him. "You do your job the best you always have Gandalf. I hope to see you again soon." she said then gave him another hug before letting go and running to Ren. She didn't want to drag out their farewells. It would just make it hurt all the more. She wished greatly that Gandalf could spend more time with her but she already knew that even if she did follow him it was likely they would part ways for long periods of time anyway. It would likely be years before she saw him again but she felt this was a better option than dragging him down in his travels only to see him just a little more. She looked at Ren with a sad smile then pointed towards home.
"Come?" she asked him.
While they talked, Ren lost interest in trying to recognize what they are talking about. He heard the word 'Nazgul' here and there, so knew it was about him and his brethren, but otherwise he wasn't able to determine the true topic. While he sat there, he sighed and looked down at the staff, then at the wet sand that he sat on. He tilted his head to the side, recognizing the substance, and touched it with one armored hand. When he pulled back, he leaned closer to see the print of his hand still embedded into it. He tilted his head to the other side and repeated the gesture. It has taken him a while, but he noticed how this kind of sand stuck together. If he made small balls, they stayed that way... If he made forms into it, they stayed that way. He hissed in curiosity, and soon reached out to gather more in front of him, and started to form something like a mountain out of it. By the time the two finished, he constructed the almost perfect replica of Mount Doom. Before its eruption that is. He was still adding details from memory, scraping off edges and smoothing surfaces, adding tiny holes which represented the caverns. He was still hard at work, so didn't notice they finished talking and she went back to him, instead he hissed a few times as he noticed mistakes and corrected them.
At first, the child wizard just wanted to leave but then she noticed what he was doing. She tilted her head slightly before kneeling beside him to watch. As he continued to work the mountain's details she saw he had a real knack for art.
"Wow." she said her eyes on the structure he was working on obviously impressed. She looked to the sand. So he likes to make sand structures. She guessed she could bring some home with them, make something of a sand box for him to work with. All they would need is to bring water around every so often. She smiled. She wondered if he was like this before he got the ring. He was a king at one point, maybe one of the skills he had as a king was in some sort of art form. Maybe in creating weapons. She had seen many swords that had wonderful artist qualities to them.
The Nazgul suddenly stopped working on the details and turned his hooded head towards her, staring at her long and hard, as if telling her that he didn't like being watched. But just in case she did not understand, after all he never found her as intelligent to understand him, he grabbed the staff, lifted it and poked her with it, then slowly shoved her away from his work.
"Annnoyyyiiiinnggg..." he said, hissing at the end. After this, he continued his work.
She blinked as she was told she was annoying again. Again with the annoying thing? She wasn't even making a sound. Wait she had said wow. Ya know what, oh well.
He wasn't working on it for too long though, as he sat back, staring at it, letting his gaze wander around the details, only to have his shoulders slump and suddenly lashed out, destroying the top of the volcano. More than likely as a reaction to its eruption, and simply started to flatten it again with a hiss, destroying it slowly completely. After he was done, he stared at the flat sand again, not making a move.
She saw his finished work and was surprised by the sheer detail. Without magic she couldn't do nearly anything that good. Not yet anyway. She then yelped as he out of nowhere destroyed his work. She couldn't understand why. He had made something very good then destroyed it. She tilted her then got a feeling of understanding. He was upset at his loss. She thought a moment then took up a bit of sand in front of her. She couldn't do anything nearly as good as he did but maybe she could try. She started trying to make a mound of sand then started to shape it trying to make their tree house.
While he was staring at the sand, the sudden movements from her caught his attention and looked up, watching as she gathered some wet sand for herself. He tilted his head to the side as he watched her work. As she added details, he was able to recognize the structure she was trying to copy. She wanted to recreate the tree house in his territory. He knew there are flaws here and there, but didn't reach out to correct them, as he wasn't sure about the details himself. The house was just now constructed, and it wasn't so etched into his memory like Mount Doom, Barad-dur or Minas Morgul. He wondered if the sand is strong enough to make a slim and tall tower like his master's. However, he didn't feel up to build anything anymore, but watched her and how her hands worked.
Hyano continued to work forgetting he was there for a moment. When she 'finished' she looked it over for a moment. Considering she was a child playing with sand it didn't too bad. She didn't like it though, so she smashed it not seeming that worried about it. She giggled lightly. No matter how old you got the most fun thing you can do is smash things. She then noticed he was watching her. She smiled up at him before making a few sand hills and smashed one before waving for him to do the same with one of the other ones. She thought he was a dark creature, if he liked anything, smashing things was likely one of them.
Ren tilted his head to the side and watched as she destroyed her work, also did the same to different sand bulks she made. She also gestured for him to do the same, didn't she? He looked at the sand, then back. He didn't know what was so good in just destroying simple sand bulks. Wasn't it better if what you destroy resembled something you wish to be destroyed? He gathered a bit of sand and forged a very simple house out of it. He didn't put in any detail, no windows, just the form of the classic house. He then proceeded destroying it, simply slamming down a fist onto it, and looked at the dwarf.
She grinned at what he did and nodded before laughing. Even if he took the time to make a shape of it she really didn't think it mattered, the fact that he did it was more than enough. She thought about the last bulk before making it look like a very simple snake, then slammed her hand down on its head and giggled. Once she was done she got up and dusted herself off, then pulled off her cap and filled it with as much dry sand as she could before looking to him.
"Go home?" she asked him.
He didn't care about her laughing, but kept picking at the wet sand, watching as his print stayed behind. When she stood, he turned his invisible gaze towards her and tilted his head to the side when she started to fill her cap with sand. He didn't know why she did that or what she planned with the sand. But maybe she just wants to replenish her sand from that pouch? Hmmm... He decided he didn't want to know, so turned his gaze back towards the sand. When she spoke, his hooded head turned to her once more. She wants to leave to his territory. He stared at her, thinking, lowering his gaze every now and then to the sand, not sure if he still wanted to leave... But still... resting might be a good option. He gripped the staff tightly and used it to stand, although a little shakily. This was when he noticed the wet sand not only stuck to itself but to him as well. He was full with sand! He hissed annoyed at this and proceeded to wipe it off wherever he could, then took a step forward and slowly, but surely, made his way back towards the tree house.
The wizard giggled when he found out sand stuck. She looked to her own hands and clothes, finding she had some stuck to her as well. She would show him later how to get rid of it more easily than just brushing it off everywhere you could. She watched as he forced himself up and waited patiently then started to walk at a slow pace for him not wanting to make this trip any harder than it already was. He was very weak now. She would do what she could to let him rest for the next few days, she was just glad he was alright. When she first noticed he had disappeared she had honestly been scared he had been hurt or worse. She wasn't fully sure why she cared so much but she did. She guessed it was just in her nature to care so she didn't question it.
For the weak wraith the way lasted too long. He had to pause many times under a nice shade of a tree to rest and gather strength for a few minutes before feeling up to move again. But in no circumstances did he ever let her help him with moving... It had taken them hours to reach the treehouse because of this, and he instantly found himself going inside, looking for that one shadowy spot he favored and let himself collapse there in a sitting position, not stopping his fall, but guiding it with the staff. He put said item across his lap again and sighed, finally feeling more secure, but still offended. His angry feelings did not subside at all, were just pushed down slightly to ensure his resting was granted. This way the dwarf will protect him in the day, while at night he didn't need her aid.
She made no try at helping the proud dark creature but she hadn't expected the trip to last that long either. She didn't try to rush him but by the time they reached home her arms were very tired. She dumped the sand out of her cap beside the house then walked inside and let herself slump in her usual spot as well. The child mumbled a few things to herself just rambling a little before noting the time. She might as well let herself sleep now. It had been a long day, though she felt like many of her days would be long from now on. She yawned then closed her eyes. She wasn't sure what to expect. Ren was angry with her and would likely stay that way for some time if not ever. He was stubborn, even if he got over the blow to his pride he would never admit it even to himself. So for now she just had to wait and see what happened. Before she knew what happened she passed out her head leaning against the wall.
Hope you liked it. Next chapter comes next week.
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