Hytorax Part 2

[Mathron]

As Fimbren darted ahead, the fog continued to close in and about them all. The air was thick and heavy, and now the corridors were terribly quiet, terribly long.

Elise felt something strange in the air about them. They had been walking for too long with no signs of the enemy, only a poor boy. Why was such a child here? What was its purpose? Were these corridors truly part of the enemy stronghold.

All unanswered questions for them to puzzle over as they continued ahead...


----


Fimbren moved ahead with ease. His acute senses easily found the way despite the fog, and he saw no signs of the enemy.

On his back, the body stirred. He felt a faint breath of air from the child as it whispered words he could barely make out.

"It.. it hurts so much.... Why did you hurt me, monster?" the voice plaintively whailed, "Why?"

[Arat-Falathion]

"The air thickens, the fog darkens, and we've run in the same direction for too long..." Iriana said to Elise. "Should have known that the Shadow Hand wouldn't make this easy."

[Finrod Felagund]

OOC: MY character is Fimbren, not Finrod...

IC: "Hush child", Fimbren whispered, "All will be well, forgive me. I did not mean to harm you."

[Mathron]

The child Fimbren carries weakly struggles. "That's not true! They told me that bad people were coming... and then you attacked me! And you travel with the lady of darkness... I saw her with you... filled with evil..."


---


Elise and Iriana stride on through the fog, when suddenly the form of Fimbren reappears before them. "I've found the way out, but it may not be open for long. Quickly, to the left!"

Then he hurries back into the fog.

[Finrod Felagund]

Fimbren looked at the child. "Look into my eyes, can you not see I mean you no harm? Who told you bad people were coming?"

[Mathron]

OOC: Fimbren hasn't actually himself found any exits, or returned to tell the party that such an exit has been found. ~grin~ They seem to be currently following an imposter - unbeknownst, of course, to any of them.

IC: The child looks straight at him. "My family told me. And if you aren't here to hurt me, why did you travel with that lady, the one with the staff... When I looked at her, I could see that she was covered in darkness. Why would you travel with darkness?"

[Finrod Felagund]

OOC: Okee-dokee! Edited

IC: "I know not of darkness, I see only light in Elise!" said Fimbren, yet doubts had been planted in his mind, he had never really trusted her.

[Mathron]

<Fimbren's Trial>

The child shakes his head. "No, no... darkness, all around her. I saw the same darkness around the other man, the man in robes. She met with him before, here in these tunnels, and there was darkness around both of them."

He pauses, and seems to calm down a little. "I guess I'm glad that you took me away. I saw where she was leading people... she was leading them to him."


---


<The Others>

Elise and Iriana ran faster now, as the shadowy figure of Fimbren moved through the gloom ahead of them. His voice drifted back momentarily: "The fog is thick here, but once you are past this last corridor, we are into the main halls of the Shadowhand's castle itself!"

He pauses, and then continues, "Be careful though - the ground is lined with holes. There is only room for one at a time - any more, and the floor might crumble beneath us all. I'll go on ahead, and make sure no enemies have heard us coming."

Then his voice is lost into the fog. Before them, the murk roils back and forth. Though the fog has been kept back thus far by Elise's light, that light seems unable to pierce the fog ahead of them. Like one last attempt by the endless corridors to hold them there, the fog resists the power of her staff.

She knows that she could drive it off, let loose her power and banish it from this place. But to do so would be like a beacon to all those of power... and bring the full might of the Shadowhand down upon them.

The two exchange glances. One of them would have to go first.


---


<Elsewhere>


"Malagar? Wake up, Mal! Wake up!" Malagar slowly blinked open his eyes, and for a moment, could not see in the brilliant light all around him.

Slowly his eyes adjusted to the light, and he saw a figure bending over him. A familiar form, that wore a large smile despite his brooding, black figure. His brother, Melevar.

Laughing, the larger maiar dragged Mal to his feet. "Come on, Mal, they are having a feast back at the Halls. If we don't hurry, we'll be late." His greater strength easily dragged Mal along, especially since Mal was looking about in confusion.

The land around him was golden and green. He had been lying in a field of flowers. They were blooming, and brilliantly red petals were drifting through the air like tiny droplets of blood...

A sudden pain shot through Mal, causing him to gasp.

"What's wrong, Mal? Are you ok?"

Mal shook his head. "I'm... I'm fine." He looked down at himself. He was fine... he looked fine. Yet his body... was younger. He was in the body of a child. "What happened to...."

Mal looked up again, and the figure whose hand he held had changed. It was still his brother, but larger, older. Armored in obsidian mail, with a grinning skull for a face, a figure out of nightmare. Mal stumbled backwards in shock.

"Mal, you don't look so good. Are you sure you're ok? It's really good to have you back, you know." It was Melevar again, as he was when they were younger. Before Mal rebelled against his father, and went out into the world on his own.

Mal whispered, "What do you mean, good to have me back?"

Mel looked at him in surprise. "You're back, you know. Back where you belong. You've returned to us... forever."

The world shook around Mal as he swung his head back and forth, whispering to himself, ever so softly, "No."

[Arat-Falathion]

"I'll go first!" Iriana said determingly. "You are the most important in our group. If I should fall, the rest of you may still finish the mission, but if you fell..." The female soldier left it at that, and pushed herself before Elise, and walked blindly into the fog...

[Mathron]

OOC: More scenes with the Fimbren imposter. ~grin~


<Iriana's Trial>

The fog closes in around Iriana, thick and suffocating. It clings to her, and her passage through it feels as though she is trudging through a bog. Time feels different, within, the mist, and it feels as though it takes forever before she finally emerges.

She finds herself in a plain hallway. The walls are marked with symbols of the Shadowhand. The corridor is finely crafted, no doubt my magic. Ahead of her lies a simple stairwell - upon it, Fimbren rests. Although... there is something strange about him... she couldn't tell what, though, for his form was cloaked in the shadows of the stairwell, and she couldn't easily make out his features.

"Finally," she heard him mutter, "I should have known a mere human would have trouble crossing the mists. What were they thinking, sending along someone who could only slow us down?"

Shaking his head, Fimbren turned and headed for the stairs.

[Arat-Falathion]

"Fimbren, what is going on?" Iriana said, hesitating. The song came to her now, slowly building up inside of her, as Fimbren advanced down the steps.

Iriana turned her head, looking back into the mist, hoping so thoroughly that Elise and Tareod would appear, but they didn't come. Turning back in Fimbren's direction she suddenly stood face to face with the elf, or was it him...? His empty stare, his pale features, not the same Fimbren that Iriana had come to know on this quest.

"What... what has happened to you?" She stammered, and the elf said something but she couldn't catch the words... the song inside her was too loud, too powerfull, and she felt the energy of the song pulsating through her body...

[Finrod Felagund]

The true Fimbren eventually came to a blank wall face at the end of a long tunnel. The tunnel had risen steadily upawards and the mist was now far below. Fimbren's hands ran along the wall until they caught on something, he lifted the latch and a door opened up into a lavish hallway.
The shadowhand lives well, that is for certain! thought Fimbren. "Wait here" he whispered back into the tunnel, where he thought his companions waited, and then closed the door. He drew his Lorien cloak close around him and darted between shaddows. He heard distant voices in the castle, but they did not seem to be coming near.

He sprang forward silently through an open doorway to see a man in a simple but elegant grey robe.
The man jumped back, startled, "Who are you?" the man said as a dagger materialized in his hand.
"I am an elf" Fimbren glared "who are you?"
"I can seer you are an elf! If it matters, as I will likely have to kill you, I am Aasinav."
Fimbren stared, "You are the one they spoke of!"
"Who?" asked the mage warily.
Fimbren suddenly realized who he was talking to, a beat and he said "You retrieved the Hytorax from your companions and returned it here to us!"
Aasinav was still wary, "Us? Who are you?"
Fimbren mind was racing, "I am an elven assasin, I work for the Shadowhand, but I answer only to myself, and few know my name."
Aasinav put down the dagger "Would I be one of those few?"
Fimbren smiled "No! But there are pressing matters at hand, battle is engaged, and spies are about, I will destroy any who try to enter this fortress."
Aasinav smiled "Spies...do you know who these spies are?"
Fimbren was silent for a moment "Not yet, but I believe you do..."

[Earniel]

It seemed to Tareod that Iriana had been gone for a while but still neither she or Fimbren called out to them that the next one could take on the weakened passage.

He looked at the fog on the edge of the light from the corner of his eye. He wasn't keen on staying in the murky fog any longer than necesary. It made the hair in his neck stand up. He didn't trust this place and he didn't trust the child Fimbren had taken under his wings.

Speaking of the child, had Fimbren still carried it when he had come back from his scouting ahead? Tareod frowned, he couldn't remember seeing it. But then the fog had obscured Fimbren's figure, as it did with the rest down here.

Tareod opened his mouth to mention it to Elise but then thought better of it. He could easily have missed the child's figure in the fog, there was little point in troubling Elise with it. Instead he said: "It were perhaps best that you went next,Elise. Iriana must have reached Fimbren by now. They might need you on the other side."

Tareod drew his sword. There was no indication of immediate danger but holding the sword made him feel slightly better. And it was better to hold a weapon if he was to wait alone here for a while. "I'll wait until you're through."

[Earniel]

Imarwyn looked with horrofied surprise at the three gargoyles appearing in the army of Enedwaith. She saw Athalt being dragged of his horse and disappear from her view.

"The king, where's the king?" she asked Hruad as she scanned the ranks for the king's gilted armour.

"One of the gargoyles brought him down!" Hruad asnwered.

"He's down? Both the general and the king? Our front line is in disarray and the enemy is still advancing!

[Mathron]

<Iriana's Trial>

"What... what has happened to you?" She stammered, and the elf said something but she couldn't catch the words... the song inside her was too loud, too powerfull, and she felt the energy of the song pulsating through her body...

The song. It shone through Iriana, echoing within her as deeply as it had ever done so before - and then abruptly, her eyes cleared, and she could see.

The mist vanished entirely. The hallway shifts as well, the strange symbols on the walls fading away, the walls becoming less confining, the torches less threatening, the air less dank and dismal. It was just a hallway now - nothing more, and nothing less. There was no stairwell, but a simple open door... one that no doubt led into the heart of the Shadowhand's stronghold...

Before her stood a figure. Not Fimbren - the song had cleared that deception from her eyes. Instead, there was a figure in plain robes, an older man with a gently mocking smile upon his face.

Aasinav.

Even as she thought this, the figure laughed, and its form... remained the same, but became slightly translucent, slightly shimmering.

"No," he said, in a calm voice, "I'm not Aasinav."

He began to gently circle Iriana, and she noticed that his feet didn't truly touch the floor. "You could call me his shadow, I suppose. A reflection, a simple construct of mind and magic."

His eyes twinkled, but she matched his gaze, her hand steady as it reached for her sword.

The shadow continued to grin. "I wouldn't bother with your weapon, dear Iriana. I am formed of magic, and simple steel will not harm me. Not even magical steel... not even steel driven by the song."

He cocked his head, as though listening for something, and then continued. "No, I'm afraid Aasinav left me you to play with for a very simple reasons. The others, he is toying with, playing mind games and the like. Preying on their weaknesses, their doubts and fears. But you... you, he doesn't even want to bother with. You're not worth his time."

He sighed, giving her a look of sympathy. "I'd almost feel sorry for you. You were dismissed as a threat before the battle even began. Your designated foe is me: a being that you cannot harm, but I can yet steal the life from your limbs. And rest assured," he continued, as the door at the end of the room abruptly slammed shut, "I intend to do just that!"


-------

<Fimbren's Trial>

Aasinav smiled "Spies...do you know who these spies are?"

Fimbren was silent for a moment "Not yet, but I believe you do..."

Aasinav paused a moment, and then nodded. "Excellent. I am quite pleased that they sent you, for I am in need of strong steel at the moment."

He gestured, and in the air before him appeared a glowing map of the fortress. Fimbren managed to keep his eyes from widening at the sight, but quickly began to memorize what it showed him.

Aasinav pointed at a place on the map - from what Fimbren could tell, it was the labyrinth that he had just come from.

Aasinav nodded to himself, and said, "I will need you to go to the entrance to this location. A band of enemies are entering our fortress, but unbeknownst to them, they are walking into a trap. The one who leads them, a powerful sorceress named Elise, is in our service, and leads them to their deaths. Once you come in sight of them, I'll need you to assist her in slaying the rest of them."

He shook his hand, and the glowing map vanished. "Come with me, I'll show you to the entrance to the catacombs."

Fimbren followed uneasily, his weapon ever at the ready. What they first came upon, however, was not what he expected - it was the boy from before. And this time, there was no doubt as to his death - a sword wound showed evidence that he had been stabbed through the chest.

Aasinav glanced back at Fimbren, and nodded approvingly. "Your work, I assume. Well done. Allow me to clean this refuse from this place."

Again, he waved his hand, and a beam of black light hit the child - and the body vanished as though it had never been.

Again, Fimbren fought the urge to immediately lash out - but something must have betrayed his emotions, as Aasinav cocked his head, as though listening to something.

"Is something bothering you, friend? Never mind. In any case, continue on this way, and you will find the enemies I spoke. Good luck in disposing of them, Fimbren."

With that, the wizard vanished from sight, as though he had never been there at all.

Fimbren felt his heart begin to beat again. He had hoped to capture Aasinav, but the wizard had escape - without even gesture or spell! No wizard he knew could do that.

He paused, and his eyes did widen, as another thought hit him. He had never told Aasinav his name....



-------

<Tareod's Trial>

Tareod drew his sword. There was no indication of immediate danger but holding the sword made him feel slightly better. And it was better to hold a weapon if he was to wait alone here for a while. "I'll wait until you're through."

Elise nodded, and gave a small sigh, before disappearing into the mists ahead.

Tareod waited for several moments... and then hurt something growl in the darkness behind him. That was new, he thought, spinning around. Better make sure the others know of the danger. Hope they are on the other side of this door...

He backed up into the mists, following the direction the others had gone - and came to a sudden stop as he hit a wall. Turning, he could see that the door previously spoken of... was gone. Smooth marble wall had replaced it - and from what he could see, through the mists that were now all around - there were no other doors in sight.

Another growl echoed through the catacombs. This was definitely bad.


-------

<Elise's Trial>

Tareod drew his sword. There was no indication of immediate danger but holding the sword made him feel slightly better. And it was better to hold a weapon if he was to wait alone here for a while. "I'll wait until you're through."

Elise nodded, and gave a small sigh, before disappearing into the mists ahead.

Through the mists Elise walked, and boldly. No petty conjurer's trick would deter her from her chosen path. She looks at the fog in disdain - and it abruptly vanished.

She had emerged into a large storage room, the apparent end of the labyrinth. A door led from there into the Shadowhand's keep itself - but her attention was more immediately drawn to the man sitting on the chair in the center of the room.

Aasinav.

Beside him was another chair - he gestured to it. "Please, Elise, sit down. We should chat."

Raising her staff, she walked towards him. "And why should I waste words on a traitor and a dead man?"

He stroked his chin, as though in thought. "Well, for starters, I'm not actually here." He glanced down at his form. "Just a simple projection, you know."

Looking back up, he gestured to the seat once again. "And, in all honesty, I have neither desire nor strength to wage a spell battle with you, Elise. Sit down, and talk. Is it really that much to ask?"

[Finrod Felagund]

"Damn!" said Fimbren, "He knows! But if that is so, then that was probably not him...but a shadow, an illusion...and so...my companions are not where I thought they were..." He heard a voice down the hallway. He leaped back into the shadows. A shadowhand soldier meandered by, a flask in his hand. Fimbren sprung forward, one hand clamping over the man's mouth and his other arm holding his neck in a vicegrip. In moments the man lay unconscious on the floor. Fimbren carefully took the man's tunic and armour, picked up the pike and put them all on atop his own clothes. Then he hid the man behind a tapestry and marched down the hall. He knew the best way to save his companions, would be to destroy Aasinav.

[Mathron]

<Fimbren's Trial>

Fimbren creeped back towards where he had encountered Aasinav previously, but found to his surprise that the area had changed significantly. The lavish hallway that he had discovered before was now a simple corridor adjacent to enemy barracks.

More voices drifted down the tunnel, and he faded into the shadows as he heard what they were saying: "Make sure to keep yer eyes open, lads. One of th' mages sent us down here to take a look around - I hear we've got ourselves an elf running about. Keep yer blades at the ready, and we'll get ourselves a fat reward, I'm betting!"

The sound drew closer as the soldiers - at least a dozen of them - approached his location. Had Aasinav sent them? Or had others of the Shadowhand begun to hunt him and his companions?

[Lief Erikson]

Hruad was frozen where he stood, staring in the direction of the line. His face was white. He could hear nothing but the throbbing of the orc cries, could see nothing but the disaster unfolding nearby. Fear held him like an iron will, unable to think or move.

Vahatres was down. The king was falling, and all Enedwaith with him.

[Mathron]

<Elsewhere>

The world shook around Mal as he swung his head back and forth, whispering to himself, ever so softly, "No."

Mal's brother shakes his head. "I don't understand, Mal. The Valar are willing to welcome you back. Don't you want to return? All is forgiven - you're home once again."

Mal raised his head up to the heavens, and let loose a terrible scream. "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

All the rage, all the emotion, all the anguish he kept bottled up in his aeons of existence - burst from him at once. They would forgive him?

No! He bore no repentance for his deed, he asked for no forgiveness for his actions! All that he had done, all that he had worked for - first, for his own honor, his own glory, his own power... later, for the people of middleearth... for those he called his friends... his family....

He would not regret the past! He would not accept their castoff forgiveness!

His eyes flared with emotion as he let loose one final scream. Dropping to his knees, the world shook around him. His vision began to fade again, and once more, blackness overtook him....

[Earniel]

Imarwyn’s mind told her to flee, to mount Merrah and run far away from this battlefield. But at the same time her heart stubbornly told her to stay, and more: to fight. If the Shadowhand won this battle, soon there would be no place safe enough to flee to and only death would offer escape. Her only choice was to decide how she faced it: as a rabbit shying from battle or as a shieldmaiden on the battlefield. She gasped and fixed her eyes on the King's banner; it still waved above the battlefield but for how long?

She grabbed Hruad’s unresisting arm. “The banner,” she pointed out, “As long as that’s still standing the Shadowhand hasn’t won yet!”

The banner was the symbol of the King’s office; Imarwyn knew that on the battlefield it was a stronger symbol than the king himself. And if the banner fell, the army might turn and flee, regardless of the faith of the king.

She tore her eyes away from the battlefield and started saddling Merrah in great haste. Her fingers flew over the buckles of the headgear and the saddle faster than they had ever done before. Gone were her earlier restraints about entering the battle, the paralyzing fear had dissolved into a faint but constant pressure on her mind. Her choice was made.

She had donned her chain mail that morning on a whim, now it would serve her well. She took her helmet and from a supply cart she armed herself with another knife and a long, stong spear. Without saying another word she swung herself on Merrah’s back and turning the mare towards the battlefield.

~~~~~

Tareod gave the marble wall in front of him an experimental knock with the hilt of his sword. If it was a mere illusion it was a solid one at that. He hadn't known wizards could move pieces of solid wall at will. But within a wizard's lair one could expect wizard-tricks. Tareod just hadn't imagined he would be facing one alone.

Although alone was perhaps an exaggeration, something was with him. Something that growled ominously. Whatever it was that prowled that magical fog, it didn't strike Tareod as his favorite company in an enemy's stronghold.

He considered his options, there weren't many. Either he kept on trying to find a way to break through this wall or he went a few steps back into the misty maze to find another entrance to the actual strong hold. In the maze he would have limited sight and there could be more than one creature lurking. On the other hand if he stayed with his back against the wall he would have relative safety but he would be a sitting duck nevertheless. And time was running out.

He tightened the grip on the sword-hilt. He then turned away from the wall and re-entered the foggy maze, making sure he kept contact with the wall of the corridor with his other hand. With luck, he thought, the wizards loose track of me as well in there.