6. The Deathbringer
…
- At Rivendell -
Reiya looked at the floor for a brief moment as she contemplated the next part of her conversation very carefully.
The Blue Wizards remained silent, allowing her to undertake the last and most important matter for discussion that night.
"Members of the White Council and acquaintances, this hearing will culminate soon, as I will now address the one threat that brought us all together in the first place. That is, the servant of Sauron who is presently endangering the existence of Middle-earth as we know it." Reiya pointed out.
Thranduil narrowed his gaze, and everybody else paid great attention to what the Red Queen was going to say, as it pertained to the safety of their lands and the survival of their people.
"The first thing that you ought to know is that the enemy behind this threat is anelfwho succumbed to the darkness." She remarked.
The attendees looked visibly startled and murmured amongst themselves following Reiya's revelation. Even Thranduil and Galadriel seemed puzzled by the fact.
Why would an elf ally themselves with Sauron and wish for the fall of Middle-earth?
Reiya proceeded to answer that one inquiry for them in detail.
"The culprit's name is Loitar." She remarked. "He is an elf-warlock who uses dark magic to submit living and deceased creatures to his will. His ultimate goal is to slaughter all living beings that oppose him and bring their corpses back to life in order to serve Sauron's agenda."
Tauriel looked visibly repelled by the statement. That was horrific. What sort of being would be so depraved to dishonor the departed like that?
"Such a malicious intent..." Gandalf commented.
"Indeed, Master Gandalf. You might be surprised to learn that despite his twisted ways, Loitar was not always evil. He used to be a noble from Doriath who excelled at healing magic before his descent into madness." Reiya pointed out.
Celeborn and Thranduil, both natives of Doriath, looked at the elleth in surprise.
"I beg your pardon, Lady Reiya. Are you absolutely certain of this?" Celeborn asked, making sure to reconfirm her statement.
"I am, Lord Celeborn. My scouts have gathered sufficient evidence pointing to the fact." The queen replied. "It must be shocking for the both of you to learn that this enemy is from your place of birth?" She stated, glancing at the two elf-lords. "Loitar used to go by a different name when he was in Doriath, but we have not found any reference to it in our sources thus far. It seems like he has been quite diligent in removing his former name from historic records, despite his well-documented deeds from that time."
Thranduil looked at the queen inquisitively.
Elf-warlock matters aside, he was intrigued by the fact that the Reiya was familiar with his previous life in Doriath. Hence, the Blue Wizards must have done a remarkable job teaching her about the Elven kingdoms of the past.
He shifted his attention back to the elleth as she continued her accounts.
"Loitar had exceptional healing skills, which he put to service in the city of Menegroth. However, he lost his way when his family perished in the Second Kinslaying of Doriath." Reiya pointed out. "Following the tragedy, he became obsessed with the idea of bringing the dead back to life and extending life beyond that which is natural, even for us, elves. Thus, he began seeking an eternal existence away from the Valar and their rules. It was that desire that ultimately led Loitar to join Sauron's forces in the East and drove him mad. In exchange for his talents, Sauron granted him immense power." She added.
"That is quite troubling to hear, Lady Reiya. Has the elf-warlock done anything worth noting since he acquired the power that you speak of?" Galadriel asked with a collected expression.
"He has indeed, my lady. Loitar is creating a league of vile beasts to achieve his ambitions at a more rapid pace. The Leapers that took Captain Tauriel's parents and attacked Mirkwood recently are only butone breedout of his league of monsters." Reiya explained. "He is now raising entire armies with those creatures in order to destroy Middle-earth, as we speak. Loitar'sDead Armies, as he has referred to them, will be unleashed at a time and place that we are still trying to pinpoint."
Gandalf was visibly shaken by the queen's comments. Galadriel looked down at the table with a concerned expression, and Elrond placed a hand on his temple, deliberating what they were supposed to do in the current circumstances.
'This storm is looking much more dire than expected...' Thranduil thought with a grim face, as he was already considering measures to best protect his realm.
Everybody's attention was brought back to the conversation when Gandalf spoke.
"Lady Reiya, this question might seem irrelevant at the moment, but what does this elf-warlock look like, exactly?" The Gray Wizard inquired. "I am aware that he might be able to change his appearance with his abilities. Nevertheless, getting somewhat familiar with his basic form could be helpful if we were to face him at any given moment." He stated.
"That is both a valuable question and a fair point, Master Gandalf." Reiya smiled respectfully at him, then went quiet for a few seconds as she contemplated her answer.
Everybody looked at her attentively, waiting for her input.
"I'd say Loitar looks like an elf-lord tainted by the darkness. His use of dark magic throughout the years has been so prevalent and perverse that his physical appearance has been considerably altered as a result." The queen emphasized. "Skin as gray as ash... Hair as black as a starless night... Inky eyes reflecting the endless darkness within his soul… Arcane symbol markings on his face from spells that he has cast in order to enhance his abilities." Reiya remarked with a tone of gravity.
Tauriel, Feren, and Haldir narrowed their gazes while listening to the elf-warlock's unsettling description.
"Furthermore, Loitar is not the only elf who has that peculiar appearance, even though he does stand out from the rest ofthem." The queen emphasized.
"And who may they be, my lady?" Gandalf asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Loitar'sDark Generals—a group of elves who support his ideals and followed him into the East to serve him. They are his top subordinates." Reiya explained. "All the Dark Generals are quite proficient at a particular set of skills, and Loitar enhanced those with his arcane magic as well. Thus, each of them also bears a distinctive pattern of symbol markings on their faces and bodies, even though Loitar's are more prominent and eerie-looking."
Elrond's expression turned to one of caution, as he listened to the Red Queen.
"I see. Has your people confronted any of those Dark Generals in the past, my lady?" He asked.
"We have indeed, Lord Elrond. I've faced some of them on the battlefield myself, in fact. However, I have not been able to capture any of them to get further insight on Loitar's plans. They can be rather... aggravating." The Red Queen pointed out with a hint of frustration in her voice as she looked to the floor.
Thranduil pondered Reiya's affirmations with a narrowed gaze. Those Dark Generals must have been pretty formidable combatants to hold off somebody with a power like hers.
"And how many Dark Generals are presently under Loitar's charge, my lady?" Celeborn asked with an inquisitive look.
"Our accounts indicate that there are twelve Dark Generals on active duty at this time. We have yet to meet some of them in battle, but that number is consistent across all of our scouting reports thus far." Reiya pointed out.
"What about the elf-warlock's whereabouts? Has there been any developments on that as well?" Elrond asked.
"We have located some of Loitar's strongholds, but they were already abandoned at the time that we unveiled them. His minions constantly move from hideout to hideout, and he has a way of concealing his presence with dark magic. The task of tracking him down has proved rather tedious over the years, but we are gradually catching up to his relocation patterns." Reiya explained.
"I see..." Elrond responded with a concerned expression.
Thranduil sighed.
Being clueless about the enemy's location also posed additional challenges for them. Unlike their past stand against Dol Guldur or even Mordor, they did not know where the enemy attacks would be coming from or which areas to avoid in order to best protect their realms and preserve their military strength.
Reiya proceeded to conclude her accounts for them that night.
"Your eyes are now open to the threat that approaches." She stated. "Loitar is the being who caused the Fall of the Old Kingdom—the one battle that brought my realm to ruins when we resided in the Far East. He is also responsible for the deaths of Captain Tauriel's parents and the countless innocent lives that have been lost due to his many atrocities.Heorchestrated the attack at Mirkwood and will not stop claiming lives until his ambitions are fulfilled." She explained.
Galadriel's gaze remained fixed on the elf-queen as she spoke, and Tauriel looked at the floor with a solemn expression at the mention of her deceased parents.
"This elf-warlock has only caused death and destruction throughout his pursuit of eternal life by deplorable means. Loitar the Deathbringer—that is the title that my people gave him due to his atrocious evil deeds." Reiya emphasized with a tone of disdain.
All the attendees remained silent after she spoke.
The Elven rulers were quietly assessing the situation while their subjects seemed either concerned or daunted by the enemy's schemes.
Thranduil looked down at the table as he weighed the prospects of winning the war that laid ahead. Their current odds were not looking ideal, in all honesty.
Noticing the sudden shift in their expressions, the Red Queen proceeded to voice her stance on the matter.
"I am aware that the chances to succeed in the rising conflict are dire; however, do not feel discouraged." Reiya assured them. "You will not face this threat on your own, as I, Queen of Xandor, and Krisha, wielder of the Sacred Flame, have committed to defeating this enemy with all the strength that runs through my veins. As long as I live and it is in my power to defend everything that is good, I will not let Middle-earth fall." The queen stated in an assertive manner. "Loitar may have achieved victory in previous battles, but he has not won the war. We will rise like raging fire and vanquish this evil, no matter the odds or constraining circumstances." She remarked with a resolute expression.
The Blue Wizards and Galadriel smiled at Reiya approvingly. Tauriel, Feren, and Haldir changed their grim expressions to looks of determination and clarity, having been visibly ignited by the queen's fervent words. Even Arwen, who had remained observant and quiet throughout the whole hearing, showed a spark of hope in her gentle eyes.
The Lady of Fire had spoken loud and clear, and thus, Thranduil listened.
He looked at Reiya and her company for a brief moment as he assessed their expressions.
Loitar may have destroyed the Sun-elves' former home in the Far East, but he had not broken the Red Queen's spirit, it seemed. All the elves in her company looked just as determined to seek justice and continue fighting for their nation, even if the odds were against them.
Thranduil then glanced at his own subordinates and the other Elven rulers' affiliates at the table area.
It seemed like Reiya's statement had also boosted their morale considerably, as they looked just as eager to join the fight against the new evil on the rise.
He still believed their military capabilities were at a large disadvantage due to many factors at play; nevertheless, that was only one piece of the puzzle ahead of them. Perhaps courage, along with a well-thought-out strategy, might still give them a chance to achieve victory in the battles to come.
…
A/N: The enemy has been revealed.
This adversary is strong, but we are not giving up yet!
Lore/Canon event: The Second Kinslaying of Doriath