Chapter 16 – Darkness of the Night
As night began to fall on Middle-Earth, and even darker presence began preparing themselves in G's home. As Chi had told G over the phone, Kneesocks' tracking system had indeed located his whereabouts, thankfully the villains had no interest in the rest of G's group so they were off the radar for now. As G's location continued to beep on the giant screen in the centre of the room, the villains were in the middle of yet another heated argument.
"I still don't see why we can't attack him now!" Rahzar snarled impatiently. "Why must we wait until morning!?"
Scanty and Kneesocks rolled their eyes at that.
"Because no matter how much anyone tries the doorway is the only thing we can't change in this realm," Kneesocks retorted. "And judging from what the map displays, it will take at least a few days before we reach him anyway, therefore we will need all of our strength in order to catch him."
"But what's to stop him from leaving the realm before we even get to him?" Chi asked, Mimi standing next to her and nodding in agreement.
Chi may have actually known that G wasn't leaving any time soon, but that still didn't mean that she couldn't at least try to throw the villains of the scent, maybe she could even get them to leave him alone until the next realm if she played her words right. However Scanty had a good answer to such a question.
"We don't," she said. "But that still doesn't mean that we shouldn't at least try. Therefore, while a group of us will go into this new dimension, the rest of the group will keep an eye on the tracking system from here and keep the first group informed via Bebop's headpiece."
However that statement only made the pig-mutant's jaw drop.
"Okay first-off, how is that gonna be possible?" he demanded. "Second, what makes you think I'm gonna be part of this? Because I don't know about y'all, but I am NOT getting blown up by that guy again! The little freak plays dirty, yo!"
Rahzar growled at that.
"You snivelling coward," he said, much to Bebop's distain.
"You weren't there man!" he retorted.
"It doesn't matter what that pipsqueak can do!" Kneesocks snapped. "Bebop is the only one who has already picked up on G's scent, therefore makes him our only lead aside from the system."
"What about me!?" Rahzar snapped, insulted about his sense of smell being so poorly compared to his subordinate's.
"YOU are more of a hunter than a tracker," Scanty reported.
"I am not getting the difference," Rocksteady pointed out, scratching his head.
"While Rahzar's sense of smell is powerful, and thus can be used for short ranged hunts, I'm afraid a pig's snout surpasses a canine's nose in that term."
However that explanation only made Rahzar even more furious.
"WHATEVER!" he snarled. "I don't care about such trivial technicalities! I still say we go now!"
"Fehfefefefefefefefe!" Foxy chuckled. "I like the wolf's moxy, and I for one agree with him. We SHOULD go now."
Though it may have seemed that Foxy was trying to be supportive of Rahzar's opinion, in reality he still only wanted to put his own ambition into account, specifically his need to have G killed regardless of what the others now believe. However everyone else merely glared at him after he said his piece.
"YOU are staying here!" Chi snapped.
"Agreed," Kneesocks added. "After that little stunt you pulled back in the last dimension, what makes you think we'd have you around this time?"
"Hey you can't talk to the boss like that!" Porche snapped, attempting to defend her Captain's honour.
"He almost jeopardised the entire operation by striking out on his own!" Scanty retorted. "Henceforth he shall not be accompanying anyone on otherworldly visits until deemed otherwise."
"Who died and put you two in charge!?" Hamburg demanded.
At those words both Scanty and Kneesocks merely smirked to themselves.
"It was decided by a great rule we like to call a popular vote," Kneesocks answered smugly.
"A vote that didn't involve you three," Scanty added. "In any case, we couldn't very well have anyone else in charge could we? Given that the rest of us are either too young, or too dumb to be up to the task."
Hearing this Foxy's jaw couldn't help but drop as he tried to absorb what he had just heard, after which he then turned to the others.
"Are you seriously going to take that!?" He demanded.
"Yeah, she's basically calling you all useless!" Porche added.
"Like a pile of old hams," Hamburg commented, with a small smirk. "Pupupupupupupu!"
"Da, but Demon Sisters make good argument," Rocksteady pointed out, giving a small shrug.
"Besides, we're more of the lackey-type anyway," Bebop added.
Looking across the room Foxy couldn't help but feel dumbfounded as the rest of the villains gave the same look of agreement, no matter how much he wanted to deny it, Scanty and Kneesocks were running things now.
"Now unless anyone else wants to make a useless argument I suggest we all get some sleep," Kneesocks instructed. "We shall make the arrangements on who's going in the morning.
With that final word, everyone then proceeded to make their way to their rooms to turn in for the night, some more reluctantly than others. Either way, after Chi and Mimi made their way towards their own room and shut the door, they wasted no time in sending G an emergency text to keep him updated, desperately hoping that he will receive it in time.
#
VILLAINS ARRIVING IN THE MORNING. BE CAREFUL.
That was what G read from the underside of the table as he continued to speak to Elrond in his study. For the last couple of hours G had been trying desperately to explain his dire situation to the Elven Lord without revealing too much information. By the time night had fallen, he had convinced Elrond that he and his group were indeed from across the sea, but the land that they came from had villains that wielded enough power to transport themselves anywhere to find them, and for the moment HE was on their main target. He also told him that he and the group were also on a mission to find lost souls from their homeland, that have been subjugated to dark magic that brought them to Middle-Earth. It may have sounded ridiculous in the long-run, but it was a close to the truth as G could bring himself to say, and Elrond seem to be buying it none the less.
"So that's the issue," he said, tucking his phone back into his pocket without Elrond seeing. "Not only are these creatures tracking me down, but I also have several other beings that are lost somewhere in the west, whether they are gentle or dangerous I do not yet know."
For the moment Elrond seemed to remain silent as he took all of the information in, his mind riddled with so many questions but never once did his curiosity show upon his face.
"Fascinating," he finally said in a calm manner. "To think that such power can exist beyond the borders of Middle-Earth, and you say that they plan to rondevu at Weathertop?"
"That is what I was informed," G replied.
Of course he didn't say the truth of HOW he received this info since phones don't even exist in Middle-Earth so of course he said that he knew about Weathertop due to something along the lines of a messenger bird or something. Suddenly Elrond said something that G did not expect to here.
"Then perhaps my suspicions were correct," he said, placing his hands upon the table in deep thought.
"What do you mean?" G asked, his curiosity peeked.
"My scouts have informed me of terrible things that have been happening around Weathertop," Elrond explained, much to G's ever growing interest. "All of which happened after a crack had appeared in the sky a week ago. Now it always rains there, never stopping for even a moment, the air is thick with damp. Not only that, but orcs have been seen riding their Wargs to and back from that direction, I fear something dark has set up roots at that place."
So there was possibly a lost character taking base somewhere near, or perhaps even at Weathertop. While that news would have exited G at first, he then began to realise that it may be a lost cause, after all not only were the villains arriving at that point the very next morning, but perhaps that certain character was just as evil as they are, after all if Ezekiel and the orcs are constantly going to and from there then maybe they were another honorary member just like Ezekiel is. Either way, stopping at Weathertop seemed to be out of the question now.
"But I sense that is not the true reason you wished to speak to me is it?" Elrond continued. "There is something else on your mind?"
G sighed at that.
"Yep," he answered. "It's about the group I'm traveling with. As I've said before the villains are only interested in killing me, but the others are only caught up in the middle of it, and I'm terrified that something bad is going to happen to them if I'm not careful."
At those words, Elrond rose from the chair and proceeded to look out of the window in deep thought.
"I see," he said. "I have heard about what happened with your group and the orcs, as far as I can tell not one of them has seen true combat except you. Is that correct?"
"Not exactly something I like to advertise, but yes," G answered begrudgingly.
"In any case, you feel like you are putting them in danger just by being near them, yes?" Elrond continued.
Once again G sighed.
"Yes," he answered. "What should I do, Lord Elrond?"
At first Elrond gave no answer, he merely stood there gazing at the window, as though he were pondering every available answer to the disheartened creature sitting at his table. Finally after about five minutes of silence, Elrond turned and spoke again.
"Do what you feel is in the group's best interest," he said. "Any true leader must put the interests of their soldiers ahead of anything else. However you must also have faith in what they can be capable of, many of your group may be gentle now but I also sense great potential in them, given the chance they might end up being the ones who need to protect you someday."
It may have been a vague answer but since it was coming from someone as wise as Lord Elrond of Rivendell then it certainly was of some significance. Whatever G decided to do next, he had to be sure that he was thinking of the group first.
#
As the moonlight shone over the valley of Rivendell, and the only sounds to be heard were those of crickets and the gentle wind, G's newest plan was set in motion. After making sure that the rest of the group were sound asleep in their rooms, G quickly and quietly began packing up the essentials he needed, food, shrouds for a secondary disguise in case his magical one failed for any given reason, and of course a map of Middle-Earth in order to navigate his way. As he began to make his way towards the stables, G's mind continued to go over his new plan over and over to make sure that he wasn't going wrong in any way. What he had decided to do wasn't an easy choice, but it was still the better one out of the many that formulated in G's head, he would go West by himself while the rest of the Group stayed in Rivendell to stay safe. It may have felt like he was abandoning them, heck, even the rest of the group would most likely see it that way after they discover him missing the next morning, but in G's mind it was better that way as an alternative to bringing them all with him and risk them being hurt or worse. Besides it wasn't like he was leaving them forever, it was only a temporary thing until he could come back with the other lost characters, even so Laura probably wouldn't have survived another orc attack due to her arm in any case. After choosing one of the horses to be his ride out of Rivendell, G wasted no time in saddling her up for the long journey.
"Hope you like the western regions, Myrtle," G spoke to the horse, reading its name on the plaque above its stall. "Because that's the only direction you're going to be traveling for a while."
However that was when a certain scent reached G's nose, and not one that came from the horse, it was the smell of old leather and polished steel, a smell that he was all too familiar with after visiting a certain individual's mansion so often.
"Where are you going?" Edward asked as he observed G's activities from the stable entrance.
Turning to see his old friend standing behind him, G looked down and signed.
"I have to find those other souls Edward," he said bluntly, much to Edward's surprise.
"By yourself?" he asked confusingly.
"I can't risk your lives again Edward," G argued. "If anything happened to you guys while we were on the road, I'd never be able to forgive myself. Look I'll come back as soon as I've found them but until then I need everyone to stay here for their own safety."
It may have been a hastened answer due to the severity of the situation G found himself in but regardless it didn't take long for Edward to simply nod in response, knowing G long enough to know what goes on through his mind when he is in a state of distress.
"I understand," he said calmly, earning a small smile from the Living Genre.
"Thanks Edward," he said, finishing his work on the horse and getting on its back. "Hey, do me a favour and keep an eye of everyone will you? I'd feel better knowing that everyone was around someone I can trust."
At those words Edward gave an understanding nod, indicating that he knew exactly what to do.
"I don't know how long I'll be," G continued. "A few days, maybe even a couple of weeks as the horse rides, whatever the case you need to make sure everyone stays in Rivendell, okay?"
"Yes," Edward replied, earning himself another smile and a firm handshake from G's metal arm.
"Farewell my friend," G said sadly, releasing Edward's hand and taking hold of the reigns. "…at least for now."
With that G than snapped the reigns and rode the horse out of the stables, through the streets and up the mountain pass. After arriving right next to the secret entrance to the valley, G took one last look at Rivendell and put on a serious look upon his face.
"I'm sorry guys," he said. "I'll be back soon."
With the knowledge that his group was safe for now, G then rode off through the hidden entrance and into the outside world of Middle-Earth, knowing that the villains will more than likely leave them alone if they are only tracking him. As he rode, G's mind then turned to Weathertop, wondering just what kind of character has set up base upon that ruin.
#
Meanwhile, upon the very hill where G had set his mind on, the rain was pouring down hard, every drop the size of a small marble and splashing down upon the stone, causing several pools to form to make the entirety of Weathertop to resemble the everglades. However despite the damp weather, hellish fires still burnt within the ruins, sheltered from the rain by pieces of stitched up skin and fed by blackened wood and the bones of dead animals, all of which served as a source of dim light and heat to the hordes of orcs and Wargs who have taken up residence.
"I'm starving," one of them moaned. "We ain't had nothing but maggoty Warg meat for three stinking days!"
"Do you want to slaughter another one!?" another argued, leaning in closer to the flames. "We haven't got enough to spare as it is! So quit your complaining!"
At those words the first orc snarled at the other, however before another action can be taken, the night echoed with a series of howls in the distance.
"They're back," the first orc commented, a wide toothy grin etching across his face.
Not more than a few minutes after they heard the howl, the rest of the orcs were then joined by the hunting party including Ezekiel, who then threw a pile of hunted boar carcasses to the rest of their hungry pack. As Ezekiel dismounted his Warg, he caught a few hateful glares from the orcs in his direction, clearly not one of them wanted him here, in fact every single one of them saw him as a potential meat source. However they all had to put up with him due to the wishes of their new leader, who as this point was soaking in one of the largest pools of water.
"Mistress," the orc pack's leader said, respectively going down on one knee in front of the pool, the rest of the hunting party following suit.
It was then that the orcs new leader stood up from the pool and turned towards them, her shadowed hourglass figure silhouetted by the flashes of lightning as her piercing red eyes shone through the endless rain.
"My, my," she said seductively, her southern accent sending a shiver down every orc's spine. "Now what do my little orcs have for me this time?"
However at those words, the orc's leader and Ezekiel looked at each other with fear, knowing full well that their mistress was NOT going to like what needed to be said.
"Forgive us Mistress," the leader grovelled, much to the Mistress's surprise. "We were outmatched by some filthy beast, I don't know how he did it but you have no idea of the weapons he possesses, if you could find it in your heart to…"
"SILENCE!" The Mistress screamed, cutting the orc off mid-sentence.
As expected, the shadow slowly sinking back into the pool of water she was standing in was not happy in the slightest, in fact the orcs were lucky that one of them wasn't dead by now. Thankfully she seemed to be in a good mood at this point, they could only assume it was because she enjoyed relaxing in the water so much. However that still didn't save them from her harsh words.
"Ah sent y'all to get food for the pack and to find me a suitable man-servant and yet all you bring back is a few pigs and excuses?" she snapped, not even bothering to turn her head back to them as she laid back down into the water. "Now sugar, what kind of girl do you think would forgive something as pathetic as that?"
"But it's not all our fault mistress," one of the other orcs argued, the skin around his eyes still scared from where Ezekiel spat acid into his face. "Your pet here was the one who…"
However that sentence soon became the orc's last, for the second that the Mistress heard Ezekiel's name being dragged through the mud she released her attack.
"DARK VAPOUR!" she yelled, pointing her palm towards the orc without so much as to turn her back and shot a blast of black steam towards the orc who spoke.
Within seconds the orc was screaming and whiting in anguish as the acidic vapour began to melt away at his skin and eat away at his flesh, after which the Mistress then clicked her fingers toward Ezekiel. Upon hearing her command Ezekiel pounced towards the twitching orc and threw his body across the ruin, towards the starving pack of Wargs who wasted no time in devouring the fresh orc meat. Upon witnessing the display of power, the other orcs cowered in fear at the Mistress's power, and the loyalty Ezekiel showed because of it. Clicking her fingers again, the Mistress called for Ezekiel to come closer, it may have only been a week since she had come to this world, but she still had both Ezekiel and the orcs under her thumb, which she displayed by patting Ezekiel on his bald head as though he were her personal lapdog.
"Now does anyone else want to insult my little Ezekiel?" she asked coldly, continuing to stroke Ezekiel's head like a bond villain.
"No Mistress!" The orcs squealed, quickly standing at attention upon hearing her cruel voice.
At that point The Mistress then smiled and sent Ezekiel away to join the orcs again, now feeling a bit more calm now that there is now a bit of order.
"Good," she said, before craning her head towards the orc leader. "Now Grishnakh, please continue your little story, I actually find it amusing to hear that an army of Warg riders can be outmatched by one little varmint."
Despite the obvious mocking from his Mistress, the leader, now known as Grishnakh, was obliged to answer less risk being her next victim.
"The thing was a freak even by our standards," he growled. "One arm made of metal, the other nothing but bones, what worse is that he…"
However before Grishnakh could even finish he sentence, his Mistress gasped and quickly stood up from the water.
"Wait!" she snapped. "Did he have a spiked tail? Had an odd looking right eye?"
"He… he did" Grishnakh replied confusingly. "You know him Mistress?"
However Grishnakh was only met with a moment of silence as a large grin of pearly white teeth etch its way across the Mistress's face
"Gather all your orcs Grishnakh!" she finally demanded. "We're going on a little field trip!"
Not wanting to face their Mistress's wrath, the orcs wasted no time in scurrying about to gather their weapons and any other supplies they needed for a long journey back towards the East. Meanwhile the Mistress herself sank back down into the water and let her head sink beneath the surface, to toothy smile still shining amongst the blackness of the water to add to the hissing red glow to her eyes.
"Well, well, it would seem that our paths have crossed again," she said, breathing in the natural element as she spoke to no one in particular except herself. "Well rest assured sugar, you won't be escaping THIS time."
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Author's Notes:
The Character Nyx belongs to Pen Stroke / :iconPenstrokepony:
The Character Laura belongs to :icontwokinds:
The Characters Chi and Mimi belong to :iconbleedman:
