Coulson had been listening a lot of what Sif had known. Her stories seemed to intrigue and bore him a bit. There were a lot of things that he was eager to hear since he refused to ignore the truth of her words. He turned to notice a couple of people that had been listening to Sif's story, thinking she was an author trying to share it with a person who was willing to have it published very soon. She explained even further how she and Gandalf rescued Thorin and his company from goblins in the Goblin Tunnels, escaping Azog and his pack, being recused by giant eagles, and meeting a man who can shape-shift into a big brown bear.
"So this man you met can turn into a bear?" Agent Coulson weirdly asked.
"Beorn was his name," Sif told him his name and took sip of her drink. "He doesn't like trespassers entering his land, especially orcs."
"So much for watching the Wolfman," Agent Coulson scoffed, reminding what he saw before.
"I'm sorry, the Wolfman?" Sif asked, confused.
"Thriller-type movie, wouldn't suggest you see it if you insisted, but I know a certain enhanced individuals that can shape-shift," Agent Coulson explained. "I even have one on my team."
"Hmm, I see," Sif remarked.
"Before we go on, I never asked you this," Agent Coulson said. "I just… you've been a great friend… and ally in helping us stop a wicked enchantress and uncovering the truth of Inhumans, so I'm asking if you want be part of my team."
Sif was redundant at first and hesitated with a smile on her face. She trusted S.H.I.E.L.D. as the only agency she's known, but it was bad luck she didn't know the Avengers since she remained on Asgard. Coulson was the only person Sif knew as a good friend and ally, who was offering her a position in joining the agency.
"I never was asked of that proposal," Sif said.
"So I'll take that as a yes?" Agent Coulson wonder with a grin.
"Its a deal," Sif smiled. "Earning a job like this could bring order of any race that can be part of your agency."
"Apparently, that agency has been passed over to one of my top agents, Director Daisy Johnson," Agent Coulson told her.
"I'll be looking forward to meet her," Sif remarked as she took a sip.
"Actually, she's the person who almost kidnapped," Agent Coulson added.
Sif was confused, but when she realized what he meant, she was surprised that Skye had a real name; Daisy Johnson. "So its her, the Inhuman? Gandalf told me once that Inhumans would be play a big part in destroying this ancient evil that took refuge in the old fortress of Dol Guldur."
"Dol Guldur?" Agent Coulson asked about that.
"For what you should know, that place is cursed," Sif explained fiercely. "Its a hill of sorcery. The Wood-Folk believed it was abandoned long ago." She peered her head closer to him and whispered. "But they were wrong."
"It wasn't abandoned," Agent Coulson answered softly.
"No," Sif breathed.
Phil Coulson could tell that fear was drawn in her face and that she noticed something back at the old fortress. He began to wonder what it was. "You saw something?"
"Something that we thought was vanquished long ago," Sif shook her head in fear and sniffed. "We were wrong."
Gandalf and Sif were forced to abandon the company of Thorin Oakenshield near the western border of Greenwood. The realm seemed to have had much the same boundaries as it did at the end of the Third Age for most of its history. It was roughly rectangular in shape: stretching from the foothills of the Grey Mountains in the north to the North Undeep in the south, and from the east edge of the vale of Anduin to Erebor. It was bisected by the ancient Old Forest Road. Later, when this road became unusable, a second path through the forest was made to the north. Between the two paths lay the Mountains of Mirkwood. The Forest River cut through the forest's northern end from its source in the western Grey Mountains, joined in the centre by the Enchanted River which flowed north from the Mountains of Greenwood. Now, Greenwood succumbed to a strange sickness that infected almost the entire realm, and at this point it became known as Mirkwood.
For days, Gandalf and Sif were walking up a hill filled with ruins. They realized they were getting closer to the High Fells of Rhudaur where the Nine servants of Sauron were sealed and buried there after their defeat in the battle of Fornost. They were hoping to get the exact answers if the servants of the enemy had returned to finish what they should've done long ago. Sif followed Gandalf from behind as they carefully climb a narrow stone ledge built into the side of a tall, bare, mountain. Just as Gandalf reaches a door in the side of the mountain, the stone ledge he is standing on crumbles away, and he begins to fall, but Sif was quick to catch him and hurl up onto the entrance of a doorway. A set of metal interlocking bars that had in the past covered the doorway now sit broken and bent away from the opening. Sif takes a moment to observe her weapon and keeps it open incase if danger was waiting inside.
Gandalf steps through the doorway and into a short tunnel going into the mountain, but that was when he suddenly grabbed by some invisible force and he is pulled swiftly into the mountain. The tunnel led the wizard into a vast, cavernous hollow in the mountain, and the ground falls away into the distance at the end of the tunnel. Sif follows Gandalf inside and uses her weapon to prevent her from sliding down. She was relived that Gandalf was able to stop himself from falling into the pit, otherwise she would've been the only one to continue this mystery on her own. With Sif at his side, Gandalf hastily blew the end of his staff to summon the light in order for them to see where they go. The two look around to examine every surrounding in the dark cavern. It was completely quiet with no guarding the ancient place that was thought to have been forgotten. On the far wall of the cavern, they sees a door similar to the one they had just entered. They go to it by carefully walking on narrow stones set in the sides of the cavern.
"These doors were shattered," Sif examined fearfully.
"Whoever did this was after something," Gandalf claimed. "But through us, we are getting closer to the truth. If we uncover this, we'll soon learn of what the Necromancer has in plan."
Sif and Gandalf slowly walk towards a gate that was all broken and bent. Without hesitation, they enters the crypt and see a tomb from inside. However, the cover of the tomb has been broken, causing Sif to take her weapon incase if something terrible would happen. Once they reached the tomb very close to see if a body was there, a bird flies out of the broken tomb at Gandalf. Sif and Gandalf then turn around to find a shadowy figure behind them, but when the light in Gandalf's staff beamed high, the figure was none other than Radagast the Brown.
Radagast had a very eccentric personality, but was known to be very selfless, brave, highly intelligent, and has an adept understanding on how nature works, including performing healing spells and at magical blasts. Despite his somewhat childish ways, Radagast was known to be adept at combat.
"Radagast," Sif sighed in relief.
"My Lady Sif," Radagast greeted her with a bow and began to wonder. "Why am I here Gandalf?"
"Trust me, Radagast, we would not have called you here without good reason," Gandalf explained.
Radagast quickly removes his hat to let three of his birds fly into the nest on his head. Once they were in, he covers them safely. "This is not a nice place to meet."
"No, it is not," Sif said as she exits the crypt. "Its foul and cursed."
"Theses are dark spells, Gandalf," Radagast examined the cavern. "Old, and full of hate. Who was buried here?"
"The very nine that served the One," Sif answered.
"Oh, so that's where I am," Radagast gasped.
"If the One had a name, it's long since been lost," Gandalf said. "He would have been known only as a servant of evil. One of a number. One of nine."
After going over what they uncovered, Sif, Gandalf and Radagast leave the entrance of the High Fells and traveled down towards open land.
"We have to inform Odin of this," Sif said. "He needs to know what's at stake here."
"She's making a good point," Radagast agreed. "We should warn the rest of the White Council. Tell them what we found… empty."
"We are getting closer than ever, but what I fear is that war is being drawn to us now," Gandalf explained what he knew. "The Ringwraiths have been summoned to Dol Guldur."
"But it cannot be the Necromancer," Radagast assumed. "A mortal sorcerer could not summon such evil."
"Who said it was mortal?" Gandalf asked him that. "The Nine only answer to one master. We've been blind, Radagast, and in our blindness, the Enemy has returned."
Sif looks shocked. "No, impossible."
"Impossible or not, but he's summoning his servants," Gandalf continued to uncover more. "Azog the Defiler is no ordinary hunter. He is a commander, a commander of legions. The enemy is preparing for war. It will begin in the east. His mind is set upon that mountain."
"We have to go back," Sif worriedly said in a hast. "They must be warned."
"Go back to where?" Radagast asked fearfully.
"To rejoin the others," Gandalf hastily answered. "They have no idea what is coming. Azog plans to lead his armies towards the mountain and Thorin is walking directly into a trap. He is outnumbered and without an army of his own brethren, the throne of Erebor will be gone."
"We cannot forsake them," Sif said. "They are all in grave danger."
"If what you say is true, every world in the universe is in grave danger," Radagast added on what else would happen. "The power in that fortress will only grow stronger. If you can't stop it, then all worlds will fall."
"You want us to cast our friends aside?" Gandalf asked.
"I think its for the best that you leave them to their fate," Radagast said. "For I know that their part in awakening the beast will bring fire to the mountain, but the last Black Arrow will pierce through the dragon's hide."
"Your telling us that Smaug will perish?" Sif wonder if that was the case.
"Which is why we must deal with this before its too late," Radagast warned. "The darkness, the sickness, everywhere it goes will start to spread through any land it touches. Decay will increase, webs moving over with spiders. Its only a matter of time before it happens. If we find out how we can destroy the source of this power, the sickness will quickly dissipate and everything that fell in decay will restore. We are out of time. You must decide for yourself if you're willing to take up to the task in stopping the Necromancer."
"Hmm, if this is the end, then so be it," Gandalf forcefully agreed.
For the last couple of days, Radagast led Gandalf and Sif across the forest of Mirkwood towards the ruined fortress of Dol Guldur. Also known as the Hill of Sorcery, was a vast stronghold located in the far south of the Woodland Realm. Originally known as Amon Lanc, had been the capital of Oropher's Silvan Elves, who had departed north to settle in the Woodland Realm. When word had been reached that an evil presence took over Amon Lanc and a shadow fell upon Greenwood, Gandalf and Sif were willing to put a stop to this before. Radagast was afraid to go back to that place.
Upon their approach to the bridge which connected from their side to the fortress, they saw that the whole place seemed abandoned. All the rocks within that fortress were weathered and broken. There are many pieces of sharp metal forged to look like vines of thorns. Still, Gandalf could feel that there was an air of menace within the old fortress and could tell that the Necromancer was still there. He had a feeling that the Necromancer sensed their arrival and could probably prepare an ambush.
"At last," Sif breathed, awaiting for what was to come.
"Dol Guldur, the hill of sorcery," Gandalf stared fiercely at the old fortress.
"It may look abandoned, but I know the Necromancer awaits us," Radagast said.
"As it is meant too," Sif said.
"A spell of concealment lies over this place, which means our enemy is not yet ready to reveal himself," Gandalf said. "He has not regained his full strength. Radagast, I need you to carry a message to the Lady Galadriel. Tell her we must force his hand."
"What do you mean?" Radagast asked, confused.
"We're going in there," Gandalf answered. "On no account come after us. Do I have your word?"
Radagast slowly walks away as he speaks. "Yes, yes, yes, yes." He then stopped and suddenly turns around and calls to the two. "Wait! What if it's a trap?"
"Turn around Radagast, and do not come back," Sif ordered.
"It's undoubtedly a trap," Gandalf whispered as he draws his sword, then, with his sword in one hand and staff in the other, he strides across the bridge.
Lady Sif sheathes her weapon and sets herself ready to engage what was in that fortress. She could tell that the Necromancer was in there and awaiting to meet him. Together, the two wander slowly across the fortress, seeing everything around. There were a lot of cages filled with skeletons that were imprisoned and left to starve. Upon approaching an open area where it was completely empty, Gandalf begins reciting a spell of light in order to draw out the Necromancer.
"Cé ná ulco sís nurtaina… I ettuluvas caninye! Cánin i sá tanuvaxe!" (The evil that is hidden here...I command it come forth! I command it reveal itself!) Gandalf deeply chanted in a language as he begins to pound his staff on the ground. From the jewel at the top of the staff, an orb of light/energy emanates and moves like a shockwave away, passing through all the matter around Gandalf. This seems to be a spell that reveals hidden evil. However, it reveals nothing yet. Seeing nothing, Gandalf and Sif walk towards a new place.
"Show yourself," Sif murmured with a glaring look on her face.
"Come," Gandalf insisted for her to follow him.
Sif and Gandalf slowly descend some stairs which takes them to a different empty level. Cages, rocks, and vines were everywhere around this level, and still, there was no sign of the Necromancer. Sif had a feeling that the Necromancer was playing tricks and had been wanting to lead them into a trap that Radagast fearfully asked them about. She had a feeling that Radagast could be right. Upon looking around, they didn't realize they were being watched by someone.
"Something doesn't seem to be right, Mithrandir," Sif said. "We've been walking in circles, and the Necromancer hasn't shown his face to us."
"He will not remain hidden for long, my lady," Gandalf assured her. "Come, me must…"
His sentence was cut short when he was suddenly attacked by a hairy figure, who just ascended from a top of a structure, wielded his weapon and openly ambushed the wizard. Caught off guard, Sif grabbed the figure and tossed the figure into a wall, but the insane, savagery creature, stood up and began to attack her instead. Gandalf managed to catch the figure by surprise and tossed him aside towards an edge and fell.
"What was that?" Sif breathed hastily.
"Come," Gandalf beckoned.
Inside a rocky maze filled with bones and rocks, Gandalf and Sif look around to see if where the creature was. They could tell he was close, but where? That was when the creature emerged and Sif tried to get at him, but since the whole place was maze, it was impossible for her grab him. Hearing growls in every corner, Sif and Gandalf looked all over, only for the creature to attack them from above. Gandalf grabbed the creature, who was struggling to free himself, only for Sif to restrain as Gandalf began to chant a spell to remove the sorcery that infected the creature. Once the spell was lifted out of the creature, Gandalf and Sif were shocked that the creature was revealed to be Thrain. Thrain was the son of Thrór and Dís I. Married to Lagertha, he was the father of Thorin II, Frerin, and Dís II. Thráin fled with his father, his three children, and the surviving Dwarves when the Dragon Smaug descended on the Lonely Mountain when the dragon Smaug descended on Lonely Mountain and sacked the Dwarven kingdom. After the dwarves were forced to live in exile away from the Lonely Mountain, Thráin, along with father and son, wandered farther south and they eventually settled in the hills of Dunland. There, they remained for twenty more years where they were forced to make a mangy living.
Years after the destruction of the kingdom of Lonely Mountain, a life of poverty took a toll on the mind of King Thrór and he became restless and desperate. He sought to journey away in search of a scrap of wealth but he did not specify Moria. At their parting, he gave to his son Thráin his Ring of Power as well as the map of the Lonely Mountain. Thráin fought alongside his father and son in the siegeless battle against a legion of Orcs that had claimed the ancient dwarf kingdom of Khazad-dûm "Moria". When his father was killed by Azog the Defiler, he tried to restain his son Thorin from charging towards the pale Orc and warned him that Azog was tasked to wipe out the line of Durin and by his life, he refused to allow the Defiler to kill his own son. After he ordered Thorin to stay away from the deadly orc, Thráin ran a charge towards the Dimrill gate to avenge Thrór's death, but was injured by the Defiler, lost Thrór's Ring of Power before he could try, and was taken to Dol Guldur as a prisoner. Many Dwarves believed that he was driven mad by grief and went missing or had been among the fallen, but his son Thorin had searched among the dead bodies of Moria and knew that Thráin had survived the battle.
"Thrain, son of Thror," Gandalf breathed in surprise upon seeing Thror's son alive. "My old friend."
"Gandalf?" Thrain coughed upon recognizing his face. He turned to look at Sif. "Sif?"
"Its alright, your free," Sif smiled.
"A lifetime," Thrain began to recall what had happened when he was in the fortress. "I've been here a lifetime."
"I'm so sorry I gave you up for dead," Gandalf deeply apologized for believing that he was dead.
"I had a son," Thrain remembered he had a son. "Thorin."
"And you will see him again," Gandalf assured his promise in hopes that Thrain will reunite with his son.
"Come, we must leave," Sif assured. "If the place has been abandoned, then we must return to where Thorin is."
Sif, Gandalf, and Thrain began to exit the ruins. As they were making their way out, Thrain continued to remember a lot more on what had happened tp him. His memories slowly came back along the way. He began to remember the day when he fought in the battle of Moria with his father and son against Azog's army.
"The Orcs had taken Moria," Thrain recalled a lot more about how the orcs took the ancient city of Moria that belonged to the dwarves. "War… we were at war. Sif, Thor, and Odin were with us, but I was surrounded." Then he made a sudden stop and out of shock and fear, he began to realize something. "The Defiler. Azog the Defiler had come."
"What happened when you were there?" Sif deliberately asked. "Where is the ring that your father gave to you before he perished?"
Gandalf lifted Thrain's right hand. He wondered if he still had the last of the seven Dwarf rings that were passed down from one Dwarven King to another. However, out of shock, both Gandalf and Thrain realized that it was gone. It was now missing along with the finger had worn on. It was sliced off.
"They took it," Thrain fearfully gasped. "They took the last one."
"The last of the seven dwarf rings forged by Celebrimbor," Gandalf whispered and gave a concerned glance over his shoulder. He started to realize something was a midst. "Come, let's get you out of here."
"There is no way out!" Thrain cried in despair and horror. "They will stop you. The serpents will stop you!"
Looking around, Gandalf and Sif did not see anything at all. They realized that Thrain was seeing that the vines were moving like serpents ready to devour their prey.
"Its an illusion," Gandalf dismissed as he struck the wall with his staff. "Just an illusion."
"My lord, what have they done to you?" Sif compassionately asked.
"I never told them," Thrain explained everything to her. "When they captured me, I was placed in a cage and then tortured by the Necromancer. He tried to make me reveal the location of the map… and the key to Erebor. Every time, I refused to speak, he would… he would torture my mind, causing me to act like a rabid animal. He may have succeeded in taking all the hope I had, but I did not speak." He turned to Gandalf and asked him. "Have you kept them safe, Gandalf? The map and the key? Are they safe?"
"I gave them to Thorin," Gandalf told him what he did. "You'd be proud of him. He's take up the quest to reclaim Erebor."
"Erebor?!" Thrain gasped in pure shock upon hearing the word.
"He will retrieve the Arkenstone," Gandalf continued to explain. "The seven armies of the Dwarves will answer to a new king."
"No, no, Thorin must not go near Erebor!" Thrain warned. "No one must enter that mountain!"
"But why, you would allow your kingdom to remain in ruin?" Sif scoffed.
"Erebor means nothing to our kin," Thrain spat. "Its cursed. You forgotten. A sickness lies within the mountain itself. It bounds to my bloodline, including Thorin himself. My father succumbed to it, as have I. As I broke out of the mountain, I was free. You must not let my son enter the mountain or he will succumb to the sickness my father had. Too much gold, jewels, and mithril will draw him to utter despair."
"Where did the sickness come from exactly?" Gandalf calmly demanded, wanting to know more of this sickness.
"No one knew where," Thrain answered. "But then I realized it came… from here."
"The sickness," Sif said, looking around the fortress. "Its not in all of Mirkwood. Its everywhere. Everywhere where it touches."
"Every corner of Rhovanion," Thrain told her in utter despair.
Gandalf, Sif, and Thrain had been trying to figure out how to get out of the fortress as the night approached with a storm all around. No rain came down, and the three were still in luck in trying to escape this terrible place.
"He is waiting for them," Thrain explained more of what he knew. "They are in league. The dragon and the one." He turns around to face Gandalf and Sif that were following them and beckoned them to follow. "Hurry, we must hurry!"
Before they could escape, a white pale orc emerged from the rocks and ambushed the wizard by striking him with his mace. Sif drew her weapon, only for several orcs that ambushed her from behind and attacked her. Sif bravely defender herself, slashing and kicking them aside with her weapon. Gandalf was alright, but at the sight of horror, he noticed that the pale orc that struck him was Azog the Defiler. Azog laughed wickedly in victory in front of Thrain, Gandalf, and Sif, who were all trying to defend themselves from his band of orcs that followed him.
"Nakhig lo shulun, sharuku!" (You have come too late, wizard!) Azog wickedly responded in pleasure and prepared to strike him down once agin. "Gorz nash." (It is done.)
Once the Defiler was ready to go for the kill, Gandalf wasn't willing to let himself down with a fight against the Defiler. He grabbed his staff in time and used it to stop the deadly pale orc from going in for the kill.
"Where is your master?!" Gandalf demanded immediately. "Where is he?!"
"Mig shâ zog," (He is everywhere.) Azog swaggered. "Undagush! Nakh, shu raka!" (We are legion! Come, see for yourself!)
Gandalf backs into the corner of the platform; while holding Azog at bay with his staff, Gandalf looks at the lower lowers of Dol Guldur behind him and sees hordes of Orcs and Wargs below, all armed for war.
Gandalf and Sif back into the corner of the platform. While Gandalf holding Azog at bay with his staff, Sif looks at the lower levels of Dol Guldur behind her and sees hordes of soldiers below, all armed for war. Just as Azog raises his mace, Gandalf, Sif, and Thrain stand together. The wizard swings his staff and summons a blinding flash of light and a thunderclap in order to confuse the Defiler and his goons. When Azog and his Orcs open their eyes, Gandalf, Sif, and Thrain had already disappeared, but they hear their footsteps moving away.
"Gurid dum!" (Pursue them to the end!) Azog furiously ordered his soldiers to pursue them.
Gandalf, Sif, and Thrain were running across the ruins as a group of Orcs, mounted on Wargs, were now in pursuit from behind. They ran out of a building onto a bridge, and just as Sif and Thrain moved cross quickly, Gandalf and strikes the building with his staff, causing parts of it to crumble and fall down, crushing the Wargs on his tail and destroying the bridge.
"C'mon," Sif yelled, pulling Gandalf with her.
Gandalf, Sif, and Thrain continue to run as fast as they could, figuring out how to get out of this foul place before it becomes their tomb. They didn't hesitate to stop, and they kept on running to reach their way out. as they were getting close to the exit, they ran onto a larger ruined bridge. Their faces turn to horror when they came face-to-face with a massive cloud of shadow that appeared in front of them.
"Odin's beard," Sif gasped in the sight of horror.
"The Necromancer," Gandalf growled in fury, raising his staff in front of them.
"There is no light, Wizard," The Necromancer taunted his foe. "None that can defeat darkness."
Thrain backed away in fear, but Sif stands in front to protect him while Gandalf unleashes a protective spherical shield of light around themselves. The Necromancer wasn't willing to go easy with them, and so he unleashes his own tendrils of shadow to try to pierce the shield, but cannot. As the shadow continues pounding at the shield, Gandalf struggles, and the shield starts to grow smaller. Sif and Thrain huddle themselves behind the wizard as the shield continues to shrink, but Gandalf yelled in fury and used the might of his power to make the shield grow larger once again.
However, the Necromancer grows even stronger, strong enough to disintegrate the bridge in front of Gandalf's shield. The shield grows smaller and smaller, until it is barely bigger than Gandalf. Gandalf opens his eyes in shock, and his shield completely disappears, and he is pushed back. The shadow rushes at him, but he manages to form his shield again. He falls onto his knees, holding his staff above his head, and the shield continues to grow and shrink. Finally, the shadow pushes so hard that Gandalf's shield collapses, and he falls back.
The shadow turns into a wreath of flames, and Gandalf holds his staff above his head with both hands. The flames turn into the slit pupil of an eye, then slowly take the form of a tall man, wearing armor, and with a helmet shaped like spikes. As figure approaches the three, Gandalf's staff burns and disintegrates away to nothing. The shadows pick Sif, Gandalf, and Thrain up into the air and then slam him down on the stones. They then hurl him into a wall and hold him there. The wall around him crumbles and falls in the presence of the Necromancer. The Necromancer looks at the trio, and the flames around him began to explode, forming the fiery eye with his body at the center like an iris.
"Sauron," Gandalf moaned out his name, recognizing the Necromancer for what it really is.
PRESENT
In the present, Sif continued to explain everything about her time in Dol Guldur, how she and Gandalf were able to uncover the mystery of the servants risen from their tombs, soldiers gathering to pay homage to the Necromancer, and finally encountering the Necromancer himself who in the other hand was the Dark Lord Sauron.
"I saw him, Coulson," Sif told everything about what she saw during her investigation in the old fortress of Dol Guldur. "From out of the darkness. I didn't want to believe it. I thought the Necromancer was just playing tricks on us, but he wasn't. It was real." She nodded her head fearfully. "The Dark Lord. Fire was all around him. He was like a burning eye."
Coulson placed his hand on her hands and asked solely. "Who was the Dark Lord?"
"Sauron," Sif breathed out her exact answer.
"Who is this Sauron you speak about?" Agent Coulson wanted a specific answer from her.
"A being with terrible power," Sif said.