I awoke with a gasp, instantly regretting the action from the way the freezing air burned into my lungs.
Everything was cold. It swirled in the air above my prone form, the steaming ice below leeching what little warmth I had left in my body and freezing my bones to the point where I felt any movement would shatter them. Blinding white filled my vision through the slits in my helm as the howling gales blasted snow overhead. For a brief moment I was thankful for the padding within my armor, as I had no doubt the sub-zero metal would brand me just as well as one straight from the forge would.
Through bleary eyes, I could vaguely make out sparks of azure magic coiling in the air and around my body. At least one positive from this rude awakening was that the sorcery prevailed. Jumps of this caliber were apparently extremely dangerous to any mage, as the energy required to do so was astronomical. Even short teleports without the use of Grace could leave parts of an inexperienced caster behind. In any other case I would be worried if I had left any bits back at home but for now I was just thankful I woke up at all.
It also helped having a god fueling the magic, especially one so inclined in the magical arts as my wife.
Speaking of which, I groaned, finally having enough clarity of mind to pay attention to the niggling voice echoing in my head, I should probably contact her, I don't want her to worry.
Sitting up, I drew the heavy fabric of my cloak around my body, the blasted chill finally became somewhat tolerable. With a quick displacement spell, I hurriedly summoned a seal onto my hand, feeling the magical instrument warm up as blessed heat slowly leaked into existence. Small gouts of flame burst out from within my helm's chainmail as I let loose a sigh, letting Fire's Deadly Sin douse my body with warmth. Curls of steam erupted from the snow clinging to my armor as well as the surrounding ice as the incantation worked its magic. Luckily, I didn't have to worry about setting local plantlife aflame, since it appeared I had been transported on the peak of a barren mountain, not so dissimilar to those on the Mountaintops of the Giants.
Though the lack of impaled giants is a plus, I surmised, giving my surroundings a cursory look. From what I could see, the mountain lacked any morbid features that would put me ill at ease. No bloody corpses, furry trolls, giant birds, Fingercreepers, or crazy thorn cultists were anywhere to be seen. Though that was obvious, since this wasn't The Lands Between. So far, the only dangerous thing up here seemed to be the cold, and even then it couldn't hold a candle to Borealis. That was probably one of the most miserable fights I've ever had the misfortune of doing. I froze into a block of ice or was smashed to pieces by its tail more times than I could count.
I sat there for a moment or two, unwilling to move until I no longer felt that my fingers would snap off if I so much as tried to flex them. With newfound feeling in my appendages, I swiftly reached into the small pouch attached to my hip, curling my fingers ever so gently around a familiar shape. I dared to open up the small tent I had made with the cloak around my body, placing the object on a raised portion of stone clear of any lingering ice or snow before retreating back into my cocoon.
Gentle blue light filled my vision as the object slowly grew in size, coils of energy coalescing into a familiar sight. The fine fabrics of a witch's robe emerged, its color almost blending in with the landscape around it. The wide brim of a snowy white hat rose, somehow unaffected by the zephyr blasting by. And finally the faces of my beloved wife came into view, one light-blue and the other a spectral white. A single azure eye stared down at my shivering form, filled with a warmth that belied her chill form and maybe a smidge of exasperation. I simply smiled up at her through my helm, reveling in the sight of her lips twitching as she fought to keep one off her face.
Many moons ago, such a thing would have been impossible. After all, a doll's face could not move the same way as flesh. And Lunar Princess Ranni had long cast away her demigod body during the Night of the Black Knives. From the chaos, her soul was confined to a porcelain doll, becoming the powerful witch that I had met long ago. But in doing so, she had cast away the gifts of flesh and was robbed of her senses for centuries, something that she said did not matter but I knew she sometimes felt otherwise. Creating a body made of flesh to put her soul in would have been quite impossible as well, as her body had to die for her soul to live.
But, things have changed since then, namely Ranni's ascension to godhood. And with that godhood came some serious boosts to her soul and her magical power. Once they had both embarked on their thousand year voyage, Ranni's first order of business was to create a new body for herself, finally gifting her the blessings of touch, smell, and taste. We cried many tears together that night, shattered with happiness.
At first, I wondered why she did not recreate her old body I had seen portraits of within the manor, with flowing red hair and looming height. Especially since she had listed many complaints about the hindrances of her doll form.
But, Ranni was nothing if not forward thinking. She had quite simply said that she enjoyed holding me with four arms in a way that she knew made me shiver, and that even if her height was halved, it was far more limber than her old one had been. And while I would have enjoyed seeing her with her crimson locks, she had vehemently shut that down. After all, they were reminders of the "whoreson Radagon" and his destruction of their family.
Of course, having been bereft of basic senses for so long was a bit of a steep challenge for her to adjust to. I would often hear her cursing up a storm whenever she accidentally stubbed her toes against their furniture, or come to her aid whenever she was overwhelmed with the sheer amount of whatever she was experiencing. Thankfully, she had adapted quickly in the past few months, no longer feeling so much.
Which was a bit unfair, since she didn't seem bothered by this accursed cold at all.
"Thou hath finally decided to awaken from thy slumber, my lord," Ranni teased, "I was beginning to think thou enjoyed the mountain's chill more than my own."
I scoffed, letting a burst of flame erupt from my lips. "It was your fault that I'm even up here in the first place! I asked you to teleport me on the plains we saw but you just had to drop me here just because you felt a speck of magic here."
Ranni deftly twisted one of her hands in the air. In a flash, the wind and snow suddenly stopped in a dome around us, granting me blessed silence and relief at last. "T'was more than a 'speck' of magic, Phaeryn. Powerful sorceries were used here, enough to shake the very air." Another twist and a shimmering veil of blue glyphs blinked into view between us. I couldn't make heads or tails out of it, but it clearly did to Ranni, who hummed as she observed it. "Lingering traces remain, but it seemeth the caster hath departed mere hours ago."
I didn't doubt that. Any rational being would be spooked if a bolt of lightning had hit the earth so close to them. And judging by the current blizzard, it would make sense if they vacated the mountaintops with haste. Still, it was a bit annoying. If the teleport hadn't knocked me out, there was a chance I could have found the source of the magic by now. "You can still track them, right? As excited as I am to explore this place, I don't want to walk in blind."
Ranni gave me a look, as if she was insulted by my question. "Thou not need to worry. I have found them already. And it seemeth they are powerful indeed. We will not lose them." Dispelling the array, she stood up, giving our surroundings another look as the gale howled around us. "The storm has yet to calm. If thou desire to wait it out then I shall linger, but if thou art to brave the blizzard then I must leave for a while before the spell—."
As if right on cue, her form suddenly flickered, rapidly shifting between opacity and translucency. My hands were on her own in an instant, holding her steady as she stumbled. "Ranni!"
Her cool hands gripped mine tightly as she grit her teeth, clearly fighting to keep the flickering at bay. Unsteady gasps broke from her lips as spectral energy shone around her, boosting her with magic. I was frowning as I gently set her into a seated position on the rocks. She had warned me this was a possibility, though it was one thing hearing it from her and seeing it happen right in front of me. Whatever the gods of this world were doing, it was clearly working as intended.
Why their influence did not have an effect on me, neither of us knew, but it was most likely due to her inherently divine nature versus my mortal beginnings. My awakening as an immortal Tarnished seemingly didn't raise any flags with the gods of this world, though that could be by design. After all, they were the ones to contact us in the first place.
Everything started with a whisper. It had only been a few years since our voyage, and we had settled in nicely in our place in the night sky. Ranni had used her powers to craft a perfect replica of Caria Manor and the Three Rises, though fully restored and no longer marred with age and battle scars (and no more blasted Fingercreepers). We had been eating together in the grand dining hall, with me laughing as Ranni sampled all sorts of flavorful dishes with her new body.
I guffawed at first when she froze while eating a particularly spice-filled pastry. That mirth turned into worry very quickly when I saw her eyes harden as she placed the dish down and threw sparks of magic into the air, which floated into an orb-like shape above our table.
At first, only silence filled the air. I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong and if we were in any danger, when a strange, mournful whisper echoed through the hall. It wasn't a singular voice, but rather an amalgamation of melodic tones of both male and female voices.
"Death…ruin…please…help us, oh fellow god."
That was the only thing to come from the orb before it fell silent once more.
In the weeks that followed, I had helped Ranni with researching where the voice had come from, how they found us, why they needed help, and most importantly, was this a trap.
Unfortunately, we only found a definitive answer for the first question. A new world, one far removed from The Lands Between. To my shock, it was not even on the same planet, and instead seemed to be located far into the cosmos. Utilizing the manor's magical observatory, we had gazed upon the foreign world, taking notes and planning our next course of action,
It was strange, seeing a world without the oppressive light of the Erdtree. It was a permanent sight in The Lands Between, part of the very landscape itself. That is, until I had burned it to the ground.
Aside from the lack of harsh golden light, the world seemed to be fairly normal looking. It was filled with expansive plains, sprawling forests, tall mountain ranges, and winding rivers. The only outstanding thing to catch our eyes was the massive volcanic region, sticking out like a bruise on the planet's surface. In a way, it was similar to Praetor Rykard's domain, albeit much larger and more barren.
The sight had filled me with a mild sort of dread, for reasons still unknown to me.
Once we had found where the voice had come from, we set off to find answers to our other questions, though with infuriatingly little success. Despite our constant efforts, the voice did not reply to us again, even when Ranni had used the full power of the Dark Moon to transmit her voice. And it wasn't that they were even ignoring us. It was clear they had heard, and chose not to reply. There were many possible explanations for this, and none were good.
The most simple was that this was simply a trap. Gods were often unfathomable beings, and their goals were—according to Ranni—enigmas to most. There was a high possibility it was drawing us in to consume us or to bring us under its control. Why it wished to do so I had no idea, but it was a possibility, even if Ranni had admitted the god did not seem overtly hostile.
The other was that it genuinely needed our help. With what we did not know, but it seemed that it was genuine in its plea. Maybe there was a war between the gods or something horrible was happening to the denizens of the world.
Whatever the case, it had taken weeks of talk to finally decide on the next course of action. Ranni had initially resisted the idea of interfering. After all, there were far too many factors to consider, and most would cause harm to us rather than help. But no matter how much she had tried to convince me otherwise, I couldn't help but feel a niggling doubt in my heart.
For reasons that stumped even me, I just knew that whatever was going on, they needed our help. It was more than a gut feeling. It was difficult to explain.
But I couldn't help but feel that if we ignored this, whatever horror was unfurling on that world would not stop there.
And so, we prepared.
We decided, albeit with much deliberation and frustration, that I had to leg most of the journey. Strange magic surrounded the planet. Whatever the gods of that world had done, the spell was powerful enough to block interference from fellow divine beings. Even the native gods were no exception, as Ranni had noted with no small amount of surprise that the gods had removed even themselves from their own world using their own magic. It was intended to keep all gods out.
Or to keep them in.
Of course, no spell was without weakness, and my proud Ranni came up with a brilliant solution. Utilizing her tiny doll body, which I had meticulously kept in pristine condition, I could smuggle her into the world, bypassing the barriers.
Though, such a thing came at a price, as I was seeing firsthand. It was not a permanent solution. Ranni warned that she could only transmit her physical body for a limited time. The energy required to do so was immense, and the powers of the Dark Moon and godhood could only do so much on a foreign world far into the cosmos. Her very essence rebelled against the world, and staying too long could only hurt her, something that I wished to avoid at all costs.
Thankfully, that didn't mean we couldn't communicate. The doll acted as a two-way transmitter of sorts, allowing her to speak to me and provide me with energy if the situation required.
I packed everything I could. My vast collection of weapons and armor were stored into the aether, which I could summon at a moment's notice. Food and gear were packed into a small satchel, which was enchanted to house items in bulk at no cost to its size. I modified my physick to bolster my durability and physical strength. Potions for every situation were created. I even brought along my flasks of crimson and cerulean tears. Ordinarily, with the dissipation of Grace, these flasks could no longer be replenished, but Ranni had thankfully bewitched them to slowly refill. Though I had to be careful with my use of them. It wouldn't do good for me to run out in the middle of a dangerous situation.
And now, with one massive spell requiring more magic than the entirety of Raya Lucaria itself, I was blasted onto the planet's surface. I made sure to kiss Ranni before I left, enjoying the deep blue that was brought to her cheeks as she blushed. That blush deepened when I patted the doll in my satchel, telling her I was looking forward to our second honeymoon.
Which brought us to our current situation.
The spectral energy surrounding Ranni dissipated slowly. She took a deep breath and smiled up at me, patting my armored chest with a free hand. "My apologies. I was caught off guard."
I shook my head vehemently. "Never apologize about this, Ranni. This isn't your fault, it's the spell."
"Even so," she said, "I have made thee worry. It is something that I do not wish to inflict upon thee any longer."
I slowly helped her to her feet, wincing as I understood what she was referring to. A bloody battle deep below the earth. The groan of a hulking beast as the Fingerslayer Blade cut into its flesh. The splintering of porcelain and wires echoing in the cave. And worst of all, the guttural, heart-wrenching sobs of a Tarnished who thought she had lost her love, Dark Moon Ring glinting in her hands. "I will always worry, Ranni," I whispered, bringing her into a tight embrace, "So you better get used to me clucking like a mother hen whenever something happens to you."
I felt her chuckle rumble against my armor. Two arms encircled my waist and the other two were brought up under my arms and over my shoulders. "My lord is a lovesick maiden, it seemeth," she teased in that lilting cadence of hers, "It may be wise for me to depart so she may cluck less."
"She," I grumbled, "can hear you. I've killed dragons and gods, I'm no more of a maiden than Nepheli Loux. And I'm in love, not lovesick, there's a difference."
I stretched as we pulled apart. Patting myself down, I nodded down at my wife. "I think I'll take my chances and make my way down right now. I don't want you to stay here longer than you need to, and I want to catch up with this magic user as soon as possible."
Ranni mirrored my nod as she straightened. "Then I shall dispel my magic. Remember, Phaeryn, I will be able to see and hear whatever thou does. If thou needeth mine assistance, bring forth the doll and I shall be with thee post haste." Bringing herself up to my height (something that brought me no small amount of amusement as she had to use her toes to get there), Ranni pressed her lips against my brow. I was almost tempted to remove my helm so I could actually feel it. "And be careful. If the situation becomes dire, I shall bring thee back home, whether thou wishes it or not."
"Of course, Princess. I'll stay safe. I promise."
And with that, her body dissolved into motes of blue light, gently drifting skyward. The last thing to go was the ghostly feeling of her lips, which I hung on to as long as I could.
I stood in the silence for a bit, gathering my wits. Then, I let loose a determined huff. "Alright, let's do this."
In one swift movement, I pocketed the doll and set my sights on the harsh decline of the mountain slopes. Tongues of flame simmered against my body with renewed strength as Ranni's spell finally dissipated, allowing the howling winds to buffet my body once more. Gritting my teeth, I stumbled off. "A little warning about the spell would've been nice."
A small chuckle echoed in my head. "Enough of thy complaining, Phaeryn," Ranni chided, "Now go. I shall give thee direction once thou are free of this storm."
[-]
The sun was almost set when I finally made my way down the mountain. The journey was long and miserable, and I grumbled the entire way through. Damn the fact that I already had experience with oppressive snow; freezing sucked and I would be more than happy to never see another snowflake ever again (Ranni and her magic excluded).
I glanced down at the golden band encircling my finger more than once. If Torrent was here, then the entire trip down would have been cut in half. The spectral steed was more than equipped to handle these conditions and was far faster than my stumbling gait.
Sadly, once we had ascended into the night sky, Torrent no longer appeared when I blew on the whistle. We had removed ourselves from The Lands Between too completely, and my beloved horse was not able to follow.
Still, I kept the ring on at all times, if only to remember him by.
I almost sobbed with relief when I saw green foliage come into view. Forests meant protection, and with that protection came shelter, warmth, and food. Sure, I had no little supply of the latter in my bag, but that didn't mean I should be wasteful. Plus, it would be interesting to see what game roamed the woods. Were they edible? Extremely poisonous? Were there even animals to begin with? I was itching to find out.
Even if there was nothing to hunt nearby, I still needed shelter. It was getting dark, and while I was no stranger to traveling by night, it was unwise to do so in a completely foreign land.
Using the dying rays of the setting sun to guide my way, I pushed through shrubs and trees, noting with no small amount of interest that it all looked very familiar to those back home. "It is strange, indeed," Ranni agreed. I could hear her hum buzz in my skull. "Mayhaps the Outer Gods have had some part in the creation of our worlds."
"Maybe," I said, hopping over a bubbling brook. "But I would hope that they didn't. I've had enough of the meddling of gods for several lifetimes."
"And yet, thou are here."
"This is different," I argued, "The gods here don't seem to be evil. Just scared. Of what, we have to find out, but I think that these ones are different from any of the other ones we've seen. I say we give them a chance."
After all, no festering swamps of scarlet rot nor oppressive laws of the Greater Will reigned in this place. If I didn't know any better, I would've assumed no gods graced these lands at all. The fact that they were begging for help with whatever they were dealing with was reason enough that they weren't like the parasitic Golden Order or the whispering lies of the Formless Mother. Any of the gods I've encountered would rather be destroyed than beg.
Ranni fell silent for a few minutes before replying, her voice clearly exasperated yet imbued with fondness. "Thou'rt a good soul, Phaeryn. I am glad to be with thee."
I fought to keep a blush off my face, even if there was no way for Ranni to see it. And even if she did, I could blame the exertion of climbing this ledge.
Following Ranni's directions to the source of wherever this magic user was, we walked in otherwise relative silence. I only stopped once, and that was to test the waters of a nearby stream, likely coming from the melting snow of the mountains behind me.
At one point in the hike I brought out a glintstone staff once the sun had fully set and the lands became shrouded in darkness. Light was now necessary for me to traverse the woods, and though I told Ranni that I could've simply used my seal to set a flame to light my way, she countered by saying I needed practice. A 'fledgling mage' she called me.
I couldn't help but pout at that. Becoming a witch's consort had long since meant that the said witch was now a teacher of the magical arts, and I was a mere apprentice. It wasn't my fault that I never bothered to learn magic. It was just that incantations suited my needs more.
But, no matter how much I complained, I had to begrudgingly admit it was good to learn. Aside from the fact I had such a gorgeous teacher, feeling the cool flow of magic was a nice reprieve from the more electrifying buzz of faith incantations. Plus, magic had some more practical applications, like the ball of soft light I now had floating above my head. Incantations were good for the bolstering of physicalities or pure destruction, but magic was often more subtle.
Speaking of magic. "So what are we going to say to this magic user once we find them? 'Hello, we come from beyond the stars at the behest of a mysterious god that begged us for help but won't answer us?' That's surely not going to sound crazy."
"Mayhaps as a last resort," Ranni replied after a bit of deliberation, "We are blind to the laws and history of this world. Are gods common knowledge? Or are they so removed from this soil that no soul remembers their names? Far too little information is known to us. I propose thee introduce thyself as a traveling sorcerer searching for fellow mages. Magic seemeth to be prevalent in this world, and meeting this caster may open doors to thee.
"It matters not if their sorceries are different from ours; mages are often agreeable to change and may see thy magic as new development. Once thou establishes accord with our mysterious sorcerer, we can fill gaps in our knowledge."
I nodded. Solid plan. And it didn't need to be said that I should be on my best behavior. Antagonizing our only possible source of information wouldn't do good for any of us, especially when we didn't even know where the closest settlement was. "Would they even speak the same language as us? I know the god spoke to us in the Common Tongue, but it's unlikely these people would do the same."
Learning a new language wasn't anything new to me; there were many different dialects and regional languages in The Lands Between, from the musical cadence of the Albinaurics to the grunting squeals of demi-humans. While the prevalence of the Common Tongue really stopped any horrible miscommunication between groups from happening, there had been many a time when I had to learn a language to grant me passage or threaten unruly bandits.
Doing so here would be more difficult, especially if I had no exposure or material to do so. And I wouldn't count on the fact that the mage I was tracking would have the patience to play teacher.
I could almost hear Ranni tapping her chin as she ruminated over my very valid concern. "I admit the thought hath crossed my mind. If thou are able to make contact with the mage, then I may be able to weave a translation spell to ease communication."
"And if that doesn't work?" I grunted, ducking under a fallen log.
"Then I can attempt to pull such knowledge from their minds, although the process is…invasive."
Yeah, we were definitely not doing that. Having your head messed with was something I viewed as a cardinal sin. It was repulsive, terrifying, and dangerous. If done seditiously, irreparable damage could be dealt. The mind was a fragile thing, and ripping through memories like a destructive child through pages of a book would demolish everything that person was. It could easily drive one to insanity.
I gulped slightly, suddenly feeling far too warm even if the woods were cool. After all, I was no stranger to such a crime.
Ranni must have noticed my discomfort, even with my lack of a reply. "Phaeryn…I did not mean to remind thee of such memories."
I blinked rapidly, struggling to dispel thoughts of fire and chaos and eyes. "Guess I might be learning another language. Let's just keep moving. We should be almost there."
She didn't answer back, which was a relief, but I could feel her worried gaze on me.
Luckily, neither of us had to dwell on that for too long, especially once I noticed a faint, flickering light coming from beyond the treeline.
Quickly slashing my staff in front of me, the orb of light above my head blinked out of existence, allowing shadows to cover me once more. With a twist, a familiar greatsword phased into existence. The temperature instantly dropped as the frosty chill of the Darkmoon Greatsword steamed in the air, the weapon a welcome feeling in my hand. The blade glowed a soft azure, not enough to give away my location, but bright enough to let me see just a bit further ahead of me.
I knew this wasn't the ideal weapon to bring out in circumstances like this. I could have brought out a simple straightsword, or a rapier, or literally any other weapon that didn't glow like a glintstone firefly and be cold enough to freeze water just by dipping the blade into it.
But it was a weapon that I cherished deeply. Aside from the fact that this was a terrifying sight to any enemy beholding it, it was a betrothal gift from Carian royalty to her spouse. It had stuck with me through thick and thin, and efficiency be damned if the situation called for a 'more suitable' blade.
Ranni knew this, and she couldn't help but give a soft huff of laughter as soon as the Darkmoon Greatsword appeared. "Lovesick maiden."
I didn't bother to deign her with a response as I crept forwards. I muttered a quick spell as I drew closer, waving the staff over my head and down my body. A strange, rippling sensation dripped over my form as the air around me became shrouded in darkness. Unseen Form was one of the first spells I had learned from Ranni, and it was something I was glad to have mastered early on. Stealth was by far my weakest attribute, and though I still thought there was nothing wrong with blasting through enemies before they had a chance to raise the alarm, this particular situation called for a more passive approach.
I gave myself a quick once over, taking small pride in the way that I could see the ground through my arm. Nothing wrong with erring on the side of caution.
I scarcely took a breath as I finally peeked through the last of the trees to wherever the source of the light was coming from.
It was a large clearing, barely smaller than the courtyard at Stormveil Castle. Several rocks littered the grassy field, with a particularly large one standing tall in the middle, leaning ever so slightly on its side. And under the shadow of the rock was a roaring campfire, surrounded by some of the more strange company I had seen so far.
Two seemed almost like demi-humans. One was remarkably short and stout, with an orange beard that would make blacksmiths back home green with envy. A massive ax was strapped to his back, its blade sharpened to a deadly sheen. The other was tall and lithe, with straight hair waving gently in the wind like a golden curtain. He had pointed ears, not so dissimilar to certain species of demi-humans, and he carried with him an ornate bow that made the plunderer in me drool.
Another two were clearly human. They looked similar enough, both with long, scraggly hair that reached to their chins, accompanied with equally scraggly beards. Though that was where the similarities ended. The dark-haired one wore a simple garb, lined with chainmail and green fabrics. He looked more of a hunter than a warrior, even if he carried a warrior's sword with him. The light-brown haired man was clearly nobility some way or another. Rich, red fabric covered his sleeves, and they were inlaid with smatterings of golden threads. A detailed cloak of furs were slung over his shoulders, apparently doing an excellent job of keeping him warm, as he seemed visibly uncomfortable in the face of a campfire.
Four were hard to make out. From my point of view, they looked like children, which was a surprise in and of itself. Children were rare in The Lands Between, and I had only seen a handful in my journeys across various villages and great cities. And these children did not look much like any child I had ever seen. For one, their faces were all much too mature, lacking the baby fat that youngsters had sticking to their cheeks. And another, their mannerisms were polite and subdued, a far cry from any child's general demeanor. Though two of them seemed to be involved in some kind of tomfoolery with the way they were ribbing at the nobleman.
And lastly, I noted with some relief, there was the obvious mage in the group. He was much older than I had assumed them to be, if the long beard was any indication. Everything about this man was gray. From the color of his rustic robes to the point of his hat, his entire being was strangely monotone, which was a sight, especially since mages had a love for their pompous flair and bright colors. Even Ranni had more ornate design in her largely white clothing, though that could be chalked up to her being royalty.
The mage carried a staff, as gnarled as the man himself, and he was puffing on a long pipe, sending the occasional smoke ring into the air. If the wide-brimmed hat wasn't a dead giveaway, I would have never guessed this man was the source of the powerful magic Ranni had felt.
The group hadn't noticed me—and of course they wouldn't because of my spell—and were all engaged in quiet talk. Though it was difficult to make out exactly what was being said, I felt a massive weight lift from my shoulders when I could make out what was clearly Common Tongue.
Though that begged the question: why and how did these denizens of a completely alien world know the Common Tongue?
I pushed that thought away to analyze later. For now, I needed to think up a way for me to approach them without getting shot or stabbed, especially since Grace didn't exist on this world and dying here could mean a true death. It didn't seem likely that the group would appreciate strangers in their midst. I'd be wary too, if someone I didn't know approached me when I was camped out in the middle of nowhere. After all, you'd only camp this far away from civilization if you didn't want to be disturbed in the first place.
Ranni's presence hummed in my head as she used my eyes to look upon the strange group. "Fascinating…it seemeth our worries were unfounded. And it is a welcome surprise; communicating with the inhabitants of this world may be easier than expected."
"Easy?" I hissed in a whisper, not taking my gaze off the many weapons held by every man there. "These people don't look like regular travelers, they're equipped to fight a full battalion. The second I pop up unannounced is when I'll get skewered."
"Even so, we have no choice. Thou must establish accord with the mage. He undoubtedly hath valuable information."
I clicked my tongue. "Any chance you can send just him a message somehow? You're a master sorcerer, and it's obvious he is too. Maybe you two can hit it off talking about your fashion sense and love of pointy hats."
Her annoyance pricked at my subconscious. "That is not so simple, Phaeryn. Would thee take kindly to a foreign mage suddenly speaking in thy head? One thou hath little clue if they have hostile intention? No, thou must think of another way."
Unfortunately, before I could even posit the idea of throwing pebbles at the man or whispering at him from afar, the old mage suddenly stopped speaking to the rest of his group, apparently startling them with how quickly he cut himself off.
I froze. Surely not. Unseen Form is solid, even experienced mages would have trouble seeing me.
Ignoring questioning calls, the mage scoured the treeline, his eyes rapidly flickering to and fro until, to my absolute shock, they settled on exactly where I was hiding.
My eyes widened as his turned flinty and hard, and I didn't move even when he stood to an impressively tall height, brandishing his staff in front of him. No spells erupted from the end of it yet, but I knew it was only a matter of time before they did. "Most impressive magic, stranger," the mage boomed, his deep voice cutting through the silent clearing, "But I believe it is time you show yourself. Come out!"
Hearing this, the rest of his troop quickly stumbled to their feet, the four warriors pushing the child-like beings behind them. They all similarly pulled out their own weapons, though none of them seemed to know exactly where they should be pointing them to.
Well, now's a good time as any I guess. I slowly rose from the shrubbery, watching how the mage's eyes followed the movement. Though it didn't look like he knew my exact location, just where I was generally. The magic-fueled air must be messing with his perception, even though it didn't do so fully. I winced as the spell distorted my voice, making it sound several octaves lower than it was. "I mean you all no harm. I just stumbled on your group and have some questions."
The short and stout one twitched as his hands gripped his large ax tightly. "Where is he, Gandalf," he growled, "And why can't we see him!"
"They are hiding themselves using a spell," the now named Gandalf replied, never taking his eyes off of me, "A powerful one at that. I only barely noticed it myself."
A round of gasps erupted from the warriors as their stances became exponentially more hostile. Sweat dripped down my brow, the air in my helm becoming uncomfortably warm. This wasn't at all how I had hoped it would go. It was clear that whoever these people were, they didn't seem to be a big fan of mages. Though they had one themselves, which was confusing. "I'm not a mage," I said placatingly, "I know magic, but I'm just a traveler. Forgive the spell, it was just to ensure my safety. I know you don't want to be disturbed, but you're the first people I've found in these woods and I was hoping to ask for some help."
The nobleman growled, stepping towards the sound of my voice. "No mere traveler can boast having knowledge of sorceries. We offer you nothing, agent of Saruman! Reveal yourself and surrender!"
Who in the blazes is Saruman? "I'm an agent of no one. I have no idea who this 'Saruman' is. And I'll come out once you put down your weapons." I flinched, cursing my spur-of-the-moment reply.
That was clearly the wrong thing to say. If anything, that made the group even more hostile. The looming mage pulled out a slender straightsword of his own, holding it in a manner that reminded me of spellblade sorcerers. "That is an unreasonable demand, stranger," he bellowed, "You have come to us, while the closest settlement is leagues away. No other soul should be out here unless they somehow knew of us, and you do not sound like an ally. We simply cannot trust your word during these dark times."
Maybe honesty was the best approach. "Alright fine, I admit I didn't just stumble upon you all, I've been tracking you for a while now. I sensed powerful sorceries in the mountains a while back and I was just hoping to meet a fellow magic user. But I am lost, these lands are foreign to me and meeting you is probably my best chance at figuring out where to go."
"You can sense my magic?" Gandalf sounded confused, as if that was a completely new concept to him. "That is not possible. Caradhras was many hours ago and I have concealed my power since." His eyes narrowed as his voice lowered into an even more threatening tone. "And the mountain pass is where we encountered a foul enemy. It cannot be coincidence you were there as well."
The ax-wielder growled irritably. "We've entertained this spy long enough! Step out of the shadows, coward, we will not be threatened by your cheap tricks!"
I tried to understand, I really did. I knew that this was a less than ideal meeting and that they had every right to be suspicious of me. But it was well past midnight; I was exhausted, sweaty, hungry, thirsty, and quite frankly on the end of my rope. "Listen, I am not threatening you, I don't even know who any of you are or what you're doing here in the first place, and I don't really care one way or another! I am genuinely lost and what kind of enemy would even ask for directions? And even if I wanted to hurt you all, which I don't, I could've easily done so already, so could we please put down the weapons and talk this out like reasonable people?"
Echoes of my annoyed spiel slowly dissipated into the air. The green-tunic man lowered his sword and opened his mouth to say something, but a sudden piercing noise choked any further discussion from happening.
I stiffened, noticing how the group did as well, alarm flashing over their features as they shuffled to form a rough circle. The noise sounded similar to a wolf's howl, though higher pitched and more feral. It was an unpleasant keening, grating on my ears like a dull blade across stone.
I only barely heard the frantic warning from the bow-wielding man yelling something about a 'warg' before movement exploded to life from the woods around us, blurry shadows ripping through the clearing to rush at the campfire. The flickering flames gave some insight on what matter of creature had just arrived, and by the grace of gold, did it look ugly.
The best way I could describe it was that it was a mix of a large, black wolf and a rotten stray. It had some canine-like features, but it was skinny in the wrong places and had a disproportionately large head filled with drooling fangs. Sporadic patches of fur covered its body, and a collar made of sharpened bone encircled its neck.
Sitting astride these beasts were beings that looked extremely similar to the feral demi-humans that were scattered throughout Limgrave. They were just as small but were clearly far more muscled, their leather armor stretching to cover their chests and arms. Spittle flew from their lips as they screeched towards their targets, brandishing crude weapons that were pointed and brutal.
The group erupted into action, several of them pulling burning sticks from the campfire to ward off the riders. Arrows zipped through the air as the blonde one fired his bow almost as quickly as a repeating crossbow. Judging from pained screams, it seemed several had found their marks.
But more just kept coming out of the treeline, and soon at least ten riders were encircling the group, lunging at them with bloodlust. Sparks flew in the air as steel clashed against steel, and I could hear yells from the group for the child-like members to stay back. For a moment, they stood strong against the sudden onslaught, every one of them seemingly expert fighters. The wizard even blasted one of the attackers with a pulse of unseen force, though he seemed to be using the staff more like a physical weapon than a magical tool.
I burst out of the bushes, feeling the spell around me slipping as I disregarded stealth completely. I was lucky the dogs did not seem to even notice me, so focused as they were on the struggling warriors. Cool energy filled my body as Ranni subtly supplied me with power. "Be careful, Phaeryn," she warned as I rushed towards the group. "These creatures may be stronger than thou may anticipate."
"I'm stronger."
There was not even a single hint of cockiness in my voice as I replied. Judging from the attack patterns, these creatures were fast but not necessarily powerful. They lacked any of the finesse of experienced fighters, and it looked like they were relying more on brute force and the ambush to try and deal damage. Unfortunately, it looked like it was working. The sheer size difference between the men and the giant dogs was just too much. Their hides seemed to block most of the shallower strikes, and if the men winded up for a more powerful one, the riders would swipe at them. The dogs would still attack even with the death of their riders, taking advantage of the lighter burden to chomp or slash much faster than before.
Already it looked like a few of the men were injured. The nobleman had sustained a shallow, but long, cut on his thigh, and although it didn't look grave it was clearly painful, slowing him down. The short one roared as he buried an ax into a dog's lunging face, though he sustained a blow to his shoulder from its club-wielding rider. If this kept up, it was unlikely the group would walk away from this without some serious wounds.
A thin layer of frost extended across my forearms as my greatsword vibrated to life, its blade now shining a brilliant blue, setting the surroundings alight. My vision blurred as I pumped power into my legs, granting me increased speed as I engaged my targets, none of which seemed to notice me until it was too late. The old wizard saw me coming as he finally beheld me for the first time, shock and awe filling his eyes when he saw my armor and my blade.
Shrieks of surprise erupted from the creatures' mouths when they finally saw me as I winded up for a slash, fear and panic seeping into their actions. I honestly couldn't blame them. The Raging Wolf armor was a fearsome one even on its own, more so when covered in shadow and dripping vestiges of Unseen Form. It also probably didn't help their morale to see this strange new warrior holding a spectral blade that was nearly a foot in width and freezing the very air around it.
One of the braver (or stupider) riders spun its mount around to meet me head on, roaring as it brought its blade, a crudely cut hunk of iron, in a horizontal sweep towards my head. Deftly ducking under it, I slid across the grass in an arcing spin as I sliced at the mount itself, just barely dodging a sharp chomp from the dog as I flew by.
Roars from the dog turned into high-pitched squeals of pain as the Dark Moon Greatsword effortlessly cleaved through its flesh like butter, instantly separating both its front legs from its body in a single strike. The frozen stumps hit the ground the same time as its rider did, surprise filling its disgusting features as it was launched almost comically off the saddle. That surprise was the last thing to ever cross its face as my blade stabbed into its chest, killing it instantly.
Rising quickly, I barely spared the struggling form of the fallen dog a glance as I buried the sword into its brain. My eyes flitted around the clearing, taking note that many of the other riders were also converging on my location, though a few still stuck around the humans. Howls from the dogs came from every corner, as if they wanted to get revenge for what I did to one of its allies.
Ordinarily, I would've been a bit more careful in engaging unknown targets. I had suffered many mistakes in attacking those whom I assumed were enemies, when later they turned out to mean no harm (Patches was an exception, since the only harm he really meant to inflict was one on my personal belongings). But somehow, I could just feel that these creatures were ill-mannered through and through. Even the demi-humans that actively attacked me in my journey were not inherently evil; most were just desperate for food or supplies. These new beings didn't seem to have any of those qualities. They oozed malice, and I knew for a fact that no amount of bargaining or talk would stop them.
Plus, no matter how much I disliked the old wizard and his company already, it wouldn't do good to let them face these things on their own. I wasn't that heartless.
My sword clanged as I parried against a rider's blade, sparks flying as the metal glanced off the ethereal material. Its astonished cry filled me with some amusement as frost spread across the point of contact of the sword, no doubt making it very uncomfortable to hold.
Facing the retreating mount and its rider, I brought my greatsword up in a wide, overhead strike, the blade now glowing so brightly blue it was almost white. The creature didn't bother to dodge. Why would it? In its mind, it was probably laughing at the fact that I was trying to attack it from several meters away.
Then a shining arc of pure frost magic erupted from within the weapon, sending it rocketing across the gap. Grass froze instantly in its wake, and the creatures barely had time to react before the magic cleaved them into vertical halves of ice before dissipating into the air.
Both pieces shattered against the ground, scattering frozen fractals of black blood everywhere. Cries of astonishment and fear reached my ears, and I found that not all of them were from the evil creatures. I brought the weapon up in a sweeping swing once more, aiming this time at a dog that was currently trying to chew through a large branch one of the defenders managed to shove in its mouth.
The rider managed to pull its mount away before the magic could outright kill them, but even the glancing blow I landed on the dog and its rider was enough to send them toppling to the ground, both screaming as the dark frost spread across the wounds on their sides. The man who looked more like a hunter than a warrior snapped out of his surprise as the creatures collapsed in front of him, easily dispatching them with a quick slice of his longsword. He locked eyes with me and nodded slightly before turning his attention to the four small beings, warning them to stick closer to the fire.
I returned the nod with one of my own and hopped back into the fray, my roars matching the sounds of battle.
[-]
Despite the roaring flame from the campfire and the general warmth of the air, my attacks soon brought a chilling mist across the entire clearing. Bisected body parts shattered in my wake, and the initial screeches of rage from the creatures quickly turned into those of abject fear and horror as we cleaved through their attacks. A deft slice here and a head was separated from a dog's body. A block turned into a ripping counterattack as I broke through a rider's shoddy defense and buried my blade through its torso. A magical cleave brought several dogs to their knees, allowing the others to dispatch them with ease. Even the small ones managed to nab a few kills here and there, taking advantage of the disorientated riders. To my surprise, one of them seemed to have a magical weapon of his own, his sword (but more of a dagger due to its size) glowing a blue that rivaled my own.
In just a few scant minutes, the somewhat successful ambush from the creatures turned into a catastrophic loss. Nearly every one of the riders had been shot full of arrows, cleaved into pieces by a greataxe, stabbed by longswords, or frozen into blocks of ice. The smarter dogs that survived turned tail and ran into the woods, yelping all the way as they did so.
The noise of combat slowly died as the attackers fell one by one, diminishing to a couple squeals here and there. I ripped through the remaining enemies like an icy whirlwind, letting the hefty blade do all the work in destroying their weapons and flesh.
I huffed out a steaming breath of ice as I finally slid to a stop, noting the now complete lack of remaining creatures. Everything around me was reduced to mounds of gore and viscera, and the frozen pieces were now melting into the ground around them, spreading foul black blood on the now trampled grass. The Dark Moon Greatsword hummed to a still, the blade now returning to its original dull hue as the magic dissipated. It wouldn't take much to reactivate it if needed, but that whole ordeal winded even me a bit, especially since I wasn't prepared for an attack of this caliber in the first place. All those years of being in relative peace in the night sky really made me a bit rusty.
I closed my eyes for a brief moment as I let cool energy sooth my exertion, courtesy of my lovely wife. I breathed out a quiet thanks, to which Ranni returned with a gentle click of her tongue. "T'was wonderfully fought, my dear. But thou'rt in need of rest. The day has been long and taxing, and thou must recover from thy ordeal."
A rest sounded great. If not for the wary group staring at my hunched form a scant few meters away, I would've laid on the ground on the spot. It didn't matter if blood was spread across the clearing like a morbid carpet. I've slept in worse spots before.
I made a show of slowly rising to my full height, carefully raising my blade away from the silent men. I nodded at them as I slid the greatsword over my head and towards my back, allowing the inherent charms of my armor hold the weapon in place, its comfortable weight settling on my spine. I kept my hands up in a placating manner as I let go of the hilt, finding some relief when the group finally started to lower their weapons, though they still had a cautious look in their eyes.
I nearly flinched out of my skin when the bow-wielding man suddenly raised his weapon upwards, pulling an arrow back with lightning speed. I almost brought out my sword once more before I realized he was looking past me, not at me. I turned, hearing the alarmed shouts from the group behind me.
A staggering shape greeted me in the far distance, its uneven gait speedy despite it missing an arm. Judging by the upturned dirt behind it, it must have been pinned down by the weight of its fallen mount and only just escaped from under it, avoiding detection until now thanks to the darkness of the night covering its form. It stumbled just as the bow released the arrow, burying itself in the creature's shoulder instead of its back. Muffled curses reached my ears as the man readied another shot, encouraged by shouts from the stout man that the "orc" was escaping.
Before another arrow could be loosed at the orc, which had now almost made it to the relative safety of the forest, a blur of turquoise zipped across the clearing, as speedy as a ballista bolt. The unfortunate rider's escape was foiled when the glintstone pebble fired from my staff blew into its skull, causing a veritable explosion of viscera that splattered across the nearby trees. The now headless body collapsed into a bush, the stump steaming in the night air.
Mentally congratulating myself for a very successful shot, I pointed my staff towards the ground before turning once more to the group, facing very surprised faces, especially from the old mage. With a quick displacement spell, the staff blinked back into the aether, clearly startling the men, though I was relieved to see that none of them were overtly hostile to me anymore. A couple members of the group, especially from the smaller ones, flinched slightly when I glanced over them through the slits of my helm. "Alright. Now that we're all clearly on the same side, may we please have a civilized discussion?"
Gandalf pushed through the group, sword now sheathed and staff used more like a walking stick than a magical weapon. "We thank you for your help, stranger," he started, his tone guarded and careful, "Without your assistance, I have no doubt that our situation would have been dire. Had even one escaped, it would destroy any sense of further security here." I nodded, not trusting myself to speak in case I somehow botched the tremulous truce. "If you wish to talk, then we will do so, in thanks of your support. No harm will come to you unless you cause us reason to do so." Grumbles came from the rest of the group, especially from the short one, but no one outwardly argued against that. "Although I must ask you to keep your hands away from your blade; it is a…frightening weapon, and we are wary of its power."
"That's fine," I agreed, not bothering to tell him that the greatsword could literally phase into my hands once more before they could even blink. "You have my word I will not harm anyone here. I'll ask my questions and even leave if my company is unwanted for the rest of the night."
I could almost hear the sighs of relief from nearly everyone in the group, all of them finally sheathing their weapons and making space around the campfire. Mercifully, no damage was done to their shelter, and the only debris around was a severed leg that the stout man picked up and threw into the shadows beyond. Everyone gingerly sat down on their stone seats as they bandaged their wounds and cleaned themselves off with rags. Several still looked at me with a cautious look in their eyes, though I couldn't really blame them anymore. I wasn't a pretty sight myself, my armor dripping slightly with congealed blood and dirt. I bemoaned the lack of sites of Grace on this world; simply sitting next to one was enough to wipe the filth from my body, leaving me and my armor spotless. But, I would have to make do with cleaning it off at a nearby stream or something when I had the chance.
The old wizard sat down with a grunt and a sigh, gesturing towards a raised rock next to him as he placed his hat atop his staff. I eagerly accepted the invitation, glad to be off my feet as I settled on the seat. He nodded at me, his eyes focused on the intricate designs on my helm. "If it is quite alright with you, will you please remove your helm? I find that conversation flows best when we are face-to-face."
I hesitated. What do you think, Ranni?
The response was swift. "I believe there is no harm in it. Thou hast gained their trust thus far. I doubt they would be foolish enough to subdue thee after what hath occurred. They are far more tired than thou and in no shape to fight. But, I shall leave the decision to thee, Phaeryn."
I shot a glance at the old man through my visor. He seemed earnest enough, and had an honest look on his face, a far cry from his threatening aura earlier. I agreed by reaching up towards my neck and unclasping the leather straps holding the armor in place. I was painfully aware of how everyone in the group followed the movement, all watching with bated breath.
The helm came off in one smooth pull, letting me finally breathe and be free of the cloistering smell of muck and grime. Shaking my head slightly, I pulled out my loose braid from underneath my armor, leaving my raven locks free to wave gently in the breeze. The open stares from everyone turned into looks of disbelief, if their gaping mouths were any indication. The wizard managed to hide his surprise well, even if his eyes widened almost comically.
I squirmed slightly under their gaze, feeling my pale skin grow cool in the night air. I knew my looks were strange to some, especially with the long scar stretching across the bridge of my nose to the bottom of my cheek, but these people were acting like they had never seen a woman before in their lives. Were lavender-colored irises like mine a rarity here? "Is something the matter?"
Again, the old mage was the first to react. "No, nothing of the sort. It is just that we had expected you to be a man; your voice earlier was quite low."
"Unseen Form does that to a caster," I explained, "The magic distorts the air around me and is supposed to keep me from making noise that would alert anyone. Which is why I'm surprised you managed to see through it so quickly, you must be a powerful sorcerer indeed."
He let out a 'hmph' before pulling out his pipe from before, which had surprisingly stayed lit in his sleeves the entire fight. Either he was really good at keeping it from going out or the thing was enchanted. "I had almost disregarded it at first. It was a clever spell, allowing shadows to pass through you. I only noticed it when it tried to influence my mind to disregard you. Luckily, I am quite sensitive to such sorceries.
He then let out a cough before gesturing towards the group, all of whom looked rather flustered for some reason. "Ah, where are my manners? I should introduce you to our fellowship." He then rattled off a list of very strange names, pointing out the corresponding faces. The two demi-human-like men were named Gimli and Legolas, the short and tall ones respectively. Gimli gave me a suspicious look while Legolas tapped his fingers against forehead, giving me a small bow. The humans were Aragorn and Boromir; Aragorn copied the same gesture as Legolas did, and Boromir said nothing except give me curt nod. The four small ones were Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. Frodo simply stared, Sam gave an awkward bow, and the latter duo smiled up at me impishly, clearly not as scared of me as the rest of them, which was a relief. "And I am Gandalf the Grey, one of the five Istari that roam these lands."
I made a fist above my heart and against the small of my back as I bowed to everyone in the group, feeling my braid shift with the movement. "Greetings, all of you. I am Phaeryn, a simple Tarnished. Apologies for the rough introduction at first, it's been a very long day." I straightened to give Gandalf a confused look. "Am I to assume 'Istari' is your term for wizard?" My confusion grew when he gave an equally perplexed nod, as if he expected me to know this already. "Wait, are you saying there's only five whole people in this world that can use magic? How is that possible?"
"You misunderstand me, Lady Phaeryn," he began, "We Istari are part of the Order of Wizards, and there are only five of us on Middle Earth." I filed the name 'Middle Earth' away in my head. "That is not to say that there are no other magic users. Several of our allies have the capability for magic, although none are from the race of Men like yourself. So you must understand our initial hostility, as none of our allies should be here and only a few of our enemies have the capability to tap into the sorceries you showed us tonight."
I rubbed my temples. This was weird. "That doesn't make sense, this world is filled with magical energy; even a novice like myself could feel it. Are you all just that powerful or is something else going on here?"
Gandalf leaned forward, concern touching his features for a brief moment. "I am afraid you are confusing me, Lady Phaeryn. Would you mind if we start from the beginning? Namely where you are from and how you came by such knowledge of the magical arts? And I do not mean to sound arrogant, but we Istari are hardly secretive; it is strange you have not heard of us."
I grimaced, already not liking exactly where this conversation was heading. Our initial plan of introducing myself as a traveling sorcerer was a bust, especially since there were apparently so few capable magic users in this world. And if I admitted to being one, then that brought me one step closer to looking like one of the group's enemies, something I didn't want to happen at any cost. "This is going to be a bit…unbelievable to you all, so I don't really know how to begin."
Gandalf chuckled. "You have shown me such casual displays of spells tonight that I would accept any explanation, no matter how extraordinary they may sound. You are from the race of Man, yet you can wield magic as powerful as any Istari could. You wear strange armor that holds the colors of no kingdom I recognize. And the weapon on your back is like nothing I have ever seen, certainly not from any corner of Middle Earth. Surprise me, my dear."
I chewed my lip. Compared to the rest of their group so far, Gandalf seemed to be the more open-minded one. He was, after all, a mage, and mages had to be flexible enough in both their magic and their thinking. With a bit of convincing maybe I could prove that I wasn't native to this world. The problem was everyone else. It was more likely they would think me to be insane, spinning tales of gods and other worlds. I had to be careful with how I crafted my words, a daunting task on its own, since I much rather preferred to brute force my way through things than actually think about what to say. That was more of Ranni's forte.
Steeling myself, I silently took in a breath before looking at everyone with all the seriousness I could muster. "This is going to sound like I am going on a tangent, but trust me when I say that this is very important; what do any of you know about gods?"
The campfire was quiet as the men mulled over my admittedly strange question. Most of them had puzzled expressions on their faces, and the only ones who seemed to be taking my inquiry at face value were Gandalf and Legolas, but I could tell they were just as confused as the rest. "Gods, you say?" The wizard let out a few puffs of smoke. "If you mean the Valar, then there is little to be known about them aside from old myths and legends passed through time. While they did not create Middle Earth, they nonetheless helped to shape and create its order."
So our mysterious messengers are called the 'Valar.' I mentally pumped my fists. Finally, some progress. Not very promising progress, I'd admit, especially since he mentioned they were stuff of myth and legend, but it was a start.
"Many men nowadays do not hold as much reverence for the Valar as they did ages past," Gandalf continued, "Some elves have interacted with them directly, but those days have passed and are more memories than anything else." He gave me a quizzical look. "But what do the Valar have to do with your situation? Their presence has not been felt in Middle Earth in quite some time, and even the oldest among us have not communed with them in several millennia."
I wordlessly reached into my bag, taking care not to startle anyone with the movement. With a bit of shuffling, I found a familiar pocket and pulled out a yellowed scroll, cracked with age and marked with years of ink. I handed it over to Gandalf, noting with no small amount of amusement at how everyone leaned forward to take a closer look.
Eyebrows rose as disbelief filled their features as murmurs erupted, no one quite believing what they were seeing. Gandalf looked up from the unfurled scroll, doubt in his eyes and skepticism on his tongue. "This is—"
"A map of my home, The Lands Between," I stated, surprising even myself with how boldly I had said it. "I know it sounds crazy and I'd be happy to prove it to you somehow, but I am not of this world. Several months ago, my companion and I received a message from beyond your stars from what I assume now to be one of your 'Valar.' They didn't say much, but they asked us for help and it sounded like something bad was happening here." Words spilled out of my mouth even faster as their incredulity grew. "We thought it was a trap at first; unlike your world, ours was plagued by gods for a long time and very few were benevolent. But I could just feel something else was happening and that they really needed us to come.
"To answer your other question, my home is different from yours. Magic is commonplace, and a sizable amount of people can use it one way or another. In truth, I am no mage, but I have many friends that are. They are the ones who taught me everything I know. My companion was also the one that helped send me here. I assume you saw a lightning strike somewhere in the mountains back there earlier today?" A slow nod. "That was the spell landing me here. We didn't know exactly where to go, but we sensed complex and powerful magic at that location, so we thought it was our best bet to meet a native magic caster who could help us make sense of this place." I took a deep breath. "That's why I've been tracking you for so long. You're my best bet of figuring out why the Valar called for us, and what is such a big threat that the gods can't solve on their own."
My voice petered out as I finished, leaving only the crackling noise of the campfire to fill the silence. I wasn't very enthused by what I saw when I looked up. Everyone was staring at me with various amounts of disbelief. Boromir seemed downright upset, as if everything I said was the ramblings of a spy or a madwoman. Others looked intrigued, though none of them seemed to believe a thing I said. Legolas even looked at me with pity, like I was some poor girl who had lost her mind and was making up tall tales and not a seasoned warrior who had just saved their arses from becoming dog food. "Look, I know how this sounds. My previous plan of telling you all that I was just a wandering sorcerer looking for directions was never going to hold any water because it seems like you all have less mages here than a single classroom in Raya Lucaria, and the only other thing I could think of is just telling you the truth. How else would you explain my magic and my sword and not knowing anything about the Istari or the Valar?"
Aragorn spoke up, his hand tracing the outline of Caelid on my map. "Lady Phaeryn—"
"Just call me Phaeryn, I'm no lady and I sure as hell hit harder than one."
"...Phaeryn. You must understand that this is quite a bold claim. Traveling between worlds and communing with the Valar is unheard of. Not even the high elves of Valinor can boast such knowledge."
"I can show you some other stuff if you'd like," I started, reaching into my bag once more, "Here's some material that are native only to a specific region in the Altus Plateau, I have a journal where I cataloged most of my time there, and I even several talismans that could enhance certain properties—"
My ramblings were cut short by a raised hand from Gandalf. I gulped. I knew I sounded desperate. If our positions were reversed I wouldn't have even given them the time of day. Even I scarcely believed another world was out there until Ranni discovered Middle Earth.
But telling these people the truth was really the only option I could think of. If I knew even a smidge of the land and its customs I could create a better story, but I was completely blind. And I needed them all to at least give me some help. Who knew how long I would be here before I found someone willing to hear me out?
Of course, I could just leave and go back into the night sky with Ranni and forget anything happened, but that just wasn't something I would ever do, especially if there really was something horrendously nefarious going on here. I had enough of things going to absolute shit, and I couldn't just stand by and watch it happen to a whole world.
Gandalf gently rolled up the map and handed it back over to me. "Phaeryn. I have lived a very long time. Longer than even young Legolas here. Throughout my travels, I have seen many fantastical and extraordinary sights. I admit that I have never seen a weapon or magic like the ones you wield, but you could just be one of the unknown sorcerers that have gone under my sight. Unlikely, yes, but a more reasonable explanation than what you are asserting tonight."
Gimli growled from his place next to the fire. "Enough talk; it is clear the lass is either a spy meant to confuse us or a lunatic! I say we hear enough of this and go our separate ways!"
My hands fell to my sides along with my downcast eyes. This was hopeless. Nothing I could say or do could convince them of this seemingly impossible statement. I had no record of my conversation with the Valar, no way to physically show them The Lands Between, and no way to prove that I wasn't just an unknown sorcerer that had somehow escaped Gandalf's vision. Even Ranni was silent in my head, and I could only feel her thinking deeply to herself. "You don't believe me. Fine. I understand. If nothing else, can you just point me in the direction of the nearest settlement? I'd like to familiarize myself with this place as much as I can. I swear I won't tell anyone I saw you all and you'll never see me again."
Gandalf shifted uncomfortably, a strained look on his wrinkled face. "Unfortunately, even with your oath, we cannot simply let you go."
I swore I heard my neck snap with how quickly I raised my head. "What are you talking about?"
The group shuffled, looking mightily suspicious in the way their hands flinched towards their weapons. "Our fellowship is on a quest, if you will. One that is sworn to the highest levels of secrecy. Even if you have no knowledge of our goal, we cannot afford to set you free until we know what to do with you. The cost is far too great."
My eyes narrowed as I straightened, willing energy to fill my body. My senses sharpened with almost an electric buzz as I put myself in as best of a defensive position I could whilst seated. "I am not the kind of person who is going to sit idly by while you bind me. I am a free woman and will do as I damn please," I scoffed, "And I won't let you stop me. Powerful as you are, Istari, I have fought far more dangerous beings than yourself."
The air turned thick as I let my gaze sharpen, fingers twitching as we had a bit of a standoff. Everyone already had their hands slowly reaching towards their blades while Gandalf subtly leaned towards his staff.
Thinking of possible escape strategies, I had no doubt we would have come to blows if not for Ranni's voice suddenly interrupting, my focus breaking at her cool tone. "Place the doll next to thee, Phaeryn."
I blinked, feeling a surprised expression morph my face. "What?"
"Place the doll on the seat next to thee," she repeated, her voice brooking no disobedience, "If they wilt not hearken to thee, then mayhap I could persuade them of our truthfulness."
"Are you serious? Now's probably the worst time for an appearance, they're trying to stop us from leaving!"
"Then the situation cannot worsen, hm? And though thou art powerful, I doubt even thou wilt escape unscathed against the wizard. He is a formidable mage, and I wish to prevent any harm to thee if possible. Grant me but one chance to speak to them, and should that fail, I shall support thee as thou fleest."
Aragorn took an imperceptible step towards me. "Phaeyrn, are you well?" he asked haltingly.
"Not now," I snapped, running my hand through my bangs as I turned my attention back to my wife, "I'm not going to let you get hurt either. I do not mean this in a way to insult you, but they're more likely to attack you than hear you out."
Ranni chuckled. "I am aware of how I shall appear to others, Phaeryn. But I assure thee, I shall be fine. If they attempt aught, then I shall retaliate accordingly. Yet, if we wish to avoid bloodshed, the only way is either for thee to consent to be their prisoner or to let me speak."
I groaned softly, uncaring of how strange I sounded to the others. They already thought I was crazy, this wouldn't make them think any different. "I always hate these ideas of yours."
But she was probably right.
I raised a placating hand when everyone started as I reached to my side. "Wait. I'm not taking out a weapon or anything. My companion simply wants to talk to you herself."
A few looked around alarmingly at the forest, as if who I was talking about was hiding in a bush somewhere. "Your companion? I was under the impression you came to us alone, and I can sense no one near." Gandalf asked.
"I'm never alone," I said simply, pulling out the white doll from within the confines of my bag. "Now, I know this is a tall request, especially since we were just about to fight, but I don't want anyone to panic when she arrives."
Ignoring the questioning looks, I gently placed the doll next to me, making sure it faced the entire group. For a split second nothing happened, and I could already see the frustration from several of the men when it dawned on them that this was a distraction or I might be messing with them.
Then azure magic pulsed from within the doll and sparks rose in a winding pattern as the doll grew slowly in size once more, the action veritably shocking the entire group. Legolas readied his bow, Gimli brandished his ax, Boromir and Aragorn unsheathed their swords, and Gandalf stood up with his staff raised in front of him. I even saw Sam pull out an iron frying pan of all things as he shoved Frodo behind him, accompanied by the shivering forms of Merry and Pippin.
I wasn't too worried about most of their weapons. No mere blade could even hope to harm Ranni. I was more concerned about how Gandalf would react to seeing her. Ranni was powerful, but who knew how foreign magic would react to her.
Luckily no weapons or spells were loosed when the magic finally finished its work. Everyone held their breath as they beheld fine robes and a pointed hat almost identical to Gandalf's. "Greetings, denizens of Middle Earth." Gasps of horror filled the air when Ranni raised her head, the wide brim of her snowy hat no longer concealing her features. "I am Ranni, herald of the Dark Moon and Lunar Princess of the House of Caria. I wish to speak to thee, if thou art agreeable."
"What foul treachery is this," Boromir grit out, his eyes widening when he saw her arms, "She has summoned a demon in our midst!"
"Hey!" I snarled, feeling a protective fury burst in my chest.
A cool hand gripped mine as Ranni pulled me back down. I didn't even realize I stood up in the first place. "Peace, Phaeryn. Thou wert no better when thou didst see me for the first time."
Turning back to the campfire, Ranni rested her eyes on Gandalf, who was holding up considerably well compared to the others. "It is good to meet thee face-to-face, esteemed Istari. As fellow mages, I am hoping to reach concord and keep our truce intact."
"Mayhaps," Gandalf began haltingly, his gaze fixed on the new arrival in front of him, "Am I to assume you are the companion Phaeryn has mentioned before?"
Ranni nodded. "Thou wouldst be correct. In truth, thy Valar did reach out unto me first. It took no small amount of effort, but both we did find thy world and did arrive hither together. I do pray, with thy aid, we may discover why the Valar did request the aid of a fellow god from across the cosmos."
A few of the men, namely Aragorn, Legolas, and Gandalf, perked up at the last part. "Forgive me, Lady Ranni," Gandalf said slowly, "You claim to be a god? One that is native to the supposed other world that Phaeryn has asserted?"
"Indeed," Ranni gestured towards me, even as I was still glaring at Boromir, "Phaeryn speaketh true: we both are not of Middle Earth, and have journeyed far using a powerful spell. An impossible feat for even the most experienced mages in The Lands Between, but it was a mild challenge to a god such as I. Please, be at ease. We mean none of you harm."
The air quivered with this proclamation, and even I couldn't stop the involuntary shiver that spread through my body. "I do not know what manner of being you are, Lady Ranni," Gandalf said, his voice low, "Never before have I seen your like on Middle Earth. And I feel great power from you, as terrible and as cold as a mountain blizzard. If not for these qualities I would have assumed you were an Istari unknown even to me," He shuffled slowly to the left, putting the rest of his fellowship behind his towering form, "But I can sense a dark and expansive void from you, even if you harbor no ill-will. It is inherently dichotomous and is nothing I have ever perceived before."
The snowy hat bobbed as Ranni shrugged slightly. "An unfortunate oversight of the nature of mine patron. It is a dark, abyssal moon, an endless lunar void that does not guide but embraces with its chill. But prithee, Gandalf, dare to look further beyond and glean the truth of mine soul. There, thou wilt find no deception from me and see that we speaketh true."
"Don't believe a word she is saying," Gimli growled as he readied his weapon, "I will not be tricked by this witchcraft, especially from one as unholy as yourself, dark creature!"
I was surprised that his brains didn't blow out the back of his skull when my glare shifted. Ranni didn't rise to the insult and merely hummed, her single eye flitting from each member to the next. "I did not wish to resort to this, but perhaps this is the quickest way to prove mine innocence."
Before anyone could do anything other than watch, Ranni upturned two of her palms, raising them slightly. I steeled myself, knowing first hand exactly what was going to happen.
It only took a blink. In one blink of an eye, everything disappeared. Exclamations of shock reached my ears as we suddenly found ourselves in an expanse of endless dark, the group splashing about in ankle-deep water as they struggled to gather their bearings.
Aside from the water, there was nothing around us. The clearing we were in had given way to an unfathomably sweeping flat plain. Foreign stars and swirling galaxies turned in a lazy pattern in the night sky, the myriad of colors spreading a mosaic of blues and purples. A chilly fog was ever present, the rolling mists surrounding us from all sides.
Gandalf raised his staff as a shining nova of bright light erupting from its tip. Wisps of magic created a blurry bubble around them, as if to shield them from an incoming attack. I had to hand it to him, for such an old man, he moved extraordinarily fast.
The old mage sent a distressed look at Ranni, who was now standing silently in front of them. Despite her much shorter stature, she seemed to somehow loom over even the tallest among us. "What have you done? Release us from this spell!"
"It is no spell," Ranni replied, her voice now regal and booming across the infinite void, "This is the true essence of my being. As the herald of the Dark Moon and the ascended god of The Lands Between." She raised all of her arms upwards, her body now shining with spectral energy.
The light was subtle at first, with thin lunar beams seeping through the fog concealing the sky. That quickly changed when the Dark Moon itself practically exploded into being, forcing the mists apart as it displaced the air around it. It made no noise, but I could almost hear its very presence howling as it spread its form over us.
The celestial entity proclaimed its ominous beauty, its surface undulating with intertwined ethereal darkness and radiant light. The eerie glow almost commanded awe and dread from all who looked upon its form, bringing everyone other than Ranni and I to a stagger. Its brilliance outshone nearly everything around us, and soon all we could see was the placid, spectral face of Ranni and her azure eyes as a mere sliver of the Outer God's luminescence overpowered the group.
I almost felt sorry for them when their presence washed over them like crashing tides across the shore. I had gotten used to her aura after her ascension to godhood, but it must be overwhelming for those who had probably never been this close to divinity before. I just hoped this wasn't too much for them; as passive as the Dark Moon was, staring at it for too long would addle one for a while.
Legolas was the first to fall to his knees, seemingly uncaring of the cold water now seeping into his clothing. "Tilion…" he whispered almost reverently and with a hint of fear.
The rest followed suit, all collapsing with varying degrees of disorganization. The small beings all crumbled, Frodo even clutching at his chest. Gimli dropped his axe, his eyes wide as he beheld the moon's might. Aragorn and Boromir struggled at first, but even they were forced to their knees. Gandalf's spell spluttered as the magic permeating the air interacted with his own. "Incredible…" he breathed, his voice almost lost in the chaos.
Breaths turned to puffs of steam in the frosty atmosphere as the sheer power of the two gods pulsed like a threaded heartbeat. It was almost too much to bear, too much magic, too incomprehensible, too much—
Then we were back.
As quickly as it started, we found ourselves returned to the clearing, as if we had hardly moved at all. Ranni and I stood over the mens' shaking forms as the merrily crackling fire did its best to dispel the lingering chill that still permeated the air. "You said you were going to talk to them, not traumatize them, Ranni."
"Ah, but I found this tactic to be most effective. They may believe thee now, do they not?"
At the sound of our voices, everyone's faculties began to be reclaimed. As usual, Gandalf was the first to recover, slowly rising on unsteady feet. He placed his staff on the rock next to him as he folded into a deep bow. "I give you my sincerest apologies, Goddess Ranni. You have proven your divinity; I have not felt a presence such as yours since the age of the Valar. As a servant to those who have ascended beyond our sight, I welcome you to Middle Earth."
In a heartbeat, the rest quickly knelt to the ground with their heads down. Legolas looked especially awed, whispering something that sounded like a prayer in an unknown language. Even Boromir and Gimli, both of whom were definitely the more skeptical among them, dared not to look upon Ranni's visage as if she would strike them down in an instant for their initial outbursts.
Ranni beckoned them to rise silently, soothing them all with a gentle smile as she folded her hands together. "I hold no animosity against thee. If these are indeed dark times as thou hast claimed, then our presence was no doubt to be scrutinized."
I could almost feel the panic leaving their bodies as they sagged slightly in relief. "Unfortunately, my time here grows short. I shall have to depart from thee soon, but I shall be watching and listening through Phaeryn's eyes and ears. If there are any more questions among thee, we shall be happy to provide thee with answers."
They probably didn't know why she was leaving in the first place but no one said anything, simply bowing their heads to her once more as she turned to face me. "The spell attempts to take hold of my form," she whispered, sitting back down on the rock, "Ask them if there are any of those in this world who can discern the will of the ones who have called us."
I nodded, giving her hand a brief squeeze before letting go. Ranni's form glowed gently as she relinquished her hold. Sparks of magic collapsed like glittering stars as the projection faded, eventually leaving nothing aside from the tiny doll seated on the stone.
I felt supremely uncomfortable when I looked up after placing the doll back into my bag. Not a single one of the mens' eyes left my own, filled with amazement akin to a child meeting his hero for the first time. Though there was a healthy dose of fear, especially from the four small ones. I smiled apologetically. "She's not that scary once you get to know her. We've heard far worse in the many years we spent together; nothing you will say is going to really insult her. She's not going to smite you for things like that."
That didn't really seem to put any of them at much ease, unfortunately. If I was allowed to stay I hoped they would eventually see that she didn't mean any harm. "If our presence truly does not bode well for you, then please let us leave in peace. I only ask if you may point us to anyone you know who can shed some light on this cryptic Valar."
No one spoke for quite a while. I didn't blame them; this was probably a world-shattering experience for them, being in the presence of not one, but two gods of a foreign world. I hardly believed I had met more than my own fair share of divine beings in my years as a Tarnished. Even going as far as killing one and banishing a few others.
Gandalf stood suddenly, gesturing over to his comrades. "I believe my friends and I have much to discuss. I only ask you give us a bit of time, Phaeryn, and I hope we can come to a mutually beneficial agreement."
At my silent nod, Gandalf gathered everyone around him as they stepped to the opposite side of the campfire, leaving me alone with my thoughts. They were a bit too quiet for me to overhear more than a couple words, and soon the dull murmur of their discussion faded in with the crackling campfire.
A few of them took more than one glance over at my direction, avoiding my eyes just a fraction of a second after I caught them looking. I chewed my lip nervously. It was never fun, being feared like this once more, even if they likely were more scared of Ranni than me. I never really cared much when I was a younger Tarnished. Back then I was admittedly much more hot-headed, too desperate to make a name for myself than bother considering what other people thought of me. It didn't help that I was one of the more unstable ones too, often coming back to the Roundtable Hold covered in blood and smiling like a madwoman after a successful hunt. Even Fia had avoided me whenever that happened.
I made very few allies during that time. I never really considered how alone that made me until I had a chance meeting with a certain Empyrean. I had always thanked her for managing to cool my temper and soothe my soul. Without her, I knew for a fact I would have fallen into depravity long ago.
Which is why I felt so uncomfortable now seeing this happen to me once more. I knew I had scared them with my magic and my actions. But if they did ask me to join them, I wanted that decision to be made with a clear head and without dread in their hearts. I've had to deal with enough fear for several lifetimes.
"Do not be so quick to lose faith, Phaeryn. I do not believe them to be so heartless as to cast thee out. Thou'rt a changed woman, and if they cannot see the good in thee, then we have no need for their welcome."
I relaxed a bit. That made me feel at least a bit better. And either way, even if I was rejected there was nothing else I could do. Might as well enjoy this break while I could, in front of a roaring fire and surrounded by the musical chimes of the crickets. I let my eyes droop as I stared at the burning cinders, feeling myself sag under the exhaustion of a long day.
Warmth suffused my body in its gentle embrace as I slipped into darkness, finally letting sleep take me.
[-]
I had no idea how long it had been, but I jolted like I was hit with lightning when I felt a feather-like touch on my shoulder. My eyes were wide as I shot back into wakefulness, years of training and being attacked now kicking in as I looked for threats or escape routes.
I only met the cautious eyes of Aragorn, who had wisely stepped back to give me a bit of space, his hands both in full view. The rest of the fellowship was seated behind him, all finally having finished their discussion.
My heartbeat slowed as I let out an embarrassed cough, feeling my cheeks redden slightly. "Apologies, Aragorn. It seems like I was more tired than I initially had thought."
Thankfully, he took it in stride and gave me a small smile. "I understand. We warriors must stay vigilant; I am no stranger to abrupt awakenings like yours."
I returned the smile as I straightened in my seat, wincing only slightly as the cricks in my neck protested with the movement. They must have been talking for a while if this was how I felt. I almost felt bad keeping them all up, the little ones looked like they were about to pass out at any moment.
The sound of someone clearing their throat diverted all the attention away from me as Gandalf stood, his form towering over us all. I suppose he was probably the official leader of the group, from the way he always commanded attention and authority. That would make sense if he really was as old as he claimed.
I sat with bated breath as I awaited the final verdict. Whatever the decision was would probably totally affect my journey here. And while I was familiar with embarking on a blind journey, it would be infinitely easier if I was surrounded by people who actually knew things.
"We shall have you join us," Gandalf finally announced, hopefully not noticing the grateful expression alighting on my face, "A powerful ally of ours, Galadriel, the Lady of Light, resides deep within the forests past Moria. If you desire any more knowledge about your purpose here, then she is the only one I know of who can provide you with answers."
I let loose a brilliant smile, looking at every single one of the group with as much gratitude as I could muster. "Thank you," I breathed emphatically, uncaring if I sounded delirious with appreciation, "I am in your debt. I swear I will not cause any more strife, and if you require my blade during your travels, I will gladly lend my aid."
Thumping my fist across my chest once more, I bowed deeply, finding with some surprise that a few returned it just as genuinely, if not less energetically. Gandalf clapped once, catching everyone's attention once more as he gestured towards lumps of padded cloth, which I assumed were sleeping bags or blankets. "Now, I daresay we have had more than our fair share of excitement for the night. We will depart for Moria after breakfast, only a few hours from now, so get as much sleep as you can. I shall take the first watch."
I agreed, fighting off a yawn that threatened to rise. Everyone else murmured their assent as they shuffled to get changed, each shrugging off heavy clothing and rolling out mats. I looked down at my armor, wincing slightly at the now dried blood splattered over parts of it like a demented painting. Unfortunately, it would do no good to clean it now. It was far too late, and I would have to make use of the morning light to wipe everything off.
Focusing slightly, I let the armor and the Dark Moon Greatsword displace off my body in a flash, replacing itself with a loose-fitting tunic and padded trousers. Simple leather boots settled comfortably against my feet, forcing out a small sigh of relief. As much as I loved that armor, wearing it for a full day was far more uncomfortable than it seemed. Stretching languidly, I caught a few of the men staring until I raised an eyebrow at them, after which they blushed and turned away, avoiding placing their eyes in my direction even as they laid down to rest. I almost scoffed. Don't tell me this world's customs were this prudish! I was fully clothed; it wasn't like I was prancing about in my undergarments!
Shrugging off my satchel, I placed it on a flat section of the grass as I mentally cycled through my vast inventory, snapping my fingers once I found what I was looking for. A rolled-up bundle of fabric popped into existence at my feet, leaning slightly against an upturned rock. It was a basic sleeping bag, held together with well-worn straps and made of durable material, tough yet as soft as cotton. I ignored everyone as they beheld this casual display of magic, simply electing to unroll the bag and ready myself for rest.
Gandalf was wide-eyed for a moment at the sight before he let out a deep chuckle. "I have the niggling suspicion you will continue to surprise me at every turn on this journey, Phaeryn."
I chuckled back at him before settling into the unfurled blankets. "Oh, trust me, you haven't seen anything yet."
Leaving it at that, I leaned back as Gandalf knelt towards the fire and mumbled under his breath, watching with some fascination as the flickering tongues quickly died, shrinking dramatically in size but not to the point of going out. An impressive display of magical control. I didn't know if it was the heavy shadows pulling tricks on me, but I swore he winked at me as he turned to sit nearby, pulling out his still-lit pipe from Marika knows where.
I scoffed lightly to myself before turning over. Show off.
A familiar buzz filled my head soon after everyone had settled into bed. I'm glad everything worked out fine in the end.
"Agreed," Ranni said, "We are fortunate thy company is willing to take us to this 'Galadriel.' From how Gandalf speaketh, she must be powerful indeed."
I let out a cavernous yawn, feeling exhaustion overtake my form. Hopefully it's not too long of a journey. The sooner we figure this thing out the better. But that's a problem to think about later, it's getting late.
"Wait, Phaeryn," Ranni interrupted before I could bid her good night. I let a single eye crack open. "Before thou sleepest, I must tell thee something I hath sensed earlier."
Feeling her pulling my vision, my eyes shifted over until they focused on a small, bundled form across the dying campfire, belonging to one of the small beings. Frodo, if I remembered correctly. I frowned. Frodo? Is something wrong with him?"
Her reply was slow and cautious, as if not to startle me. "Nay, not him in particular. But I sense powerful magic on him—ancient magic."
You mean that dagger of his? That hardly seems powerful, I didn't even see it do anything other than glow during the fight.
"Not the dagger. Its magic seemeth to be cosmetic in nature, and it is but a shadow compared to the power of the other object he holdeth." She hesitated, filling me with no small amount of worry. "He is in possession of a small object, mayhap a ring of some sort hung around his neck. But it is far from being a mere trinket."
My eyes narrowed as I scrutinized his hunched form, unable to see if he was truly asleep or still awake in the gloom. What did you sense from it?
"Evil," she replied simply as cold spread through my body, "It burneth with an all-consuming fire, filled with a desire for dominion and subjugation. It lieth dormant for now, but when I unleashed my presence upon the group, I felt it fight against me, not in anger or fear of destruction, but with sick joy. It laughed against my essence and would not subside until I returned us to the mortal plain."
I forced myself to calm down at this new development. Was this what the Valar needed help with? If they did, how would we go about confronting the others about it? But if Ranni could sense it, then there was a possibility Gandalf did as well, and I very much doubted they would let such an evil being in their midst. If Frodo was truly evil in the first place; I couldn't help but feel that he was mostly harmless so far. What do we do?
Ranni was silent as she pondered my question. "For now? Nothing. We shall observe him along our journey and give him and the others a chance to explain later. If this object is the reason for their quest then we will find out what their true intentions are with it. Thankfully, it is unlikely they serve any nefarious machination. We will find a solution to this enigma in due course."
Nodding imperceptibly, I laid back against the fabric, my eyes still not leaving Frodo's silhouette. I summoned a simple dagger under my pillow, letting my fingers curl loosely around its handle. Couldn't be too careful, I guess. Alright. We'll figure this out later. Wake me if you sense anything happening.
I felt my eyes drifting shut at the sound of her assent. "Good night, dearest. I shall see thee in the morn."
I tried to bid her good night, I really did. But the fatigue had finally caught up with me, and I slipped into a deep slumber faster than St. Trina possibly could. Blessed darkness took me as the noise of the crickets and an unknown melody humming from Gandalf's lips lulled me to sleep.
What a day.
