Assasin's Shadow

[rohirrim TR]

The sun rose a ball of red fire in the eastern sky. Curamir gazed towards the east, he felt something was wrong; it felt like it does when you see a light ahead of you on dark night, and then suddenly the light is extinguished. He didn't know what it meant, but it put a shadow over his heart.

[Acalewia]

Acalewia stepped out of hiding, holding both blades upright before her face. Her eyes were on the swordmen. One laughed.
"You dare challenge those who are stronger than you? This shall be easy sport" he said. They advanced. The elf backed away. She was holding their attention. Once they passed Colomir, he slipped behind them. She smiled. The two attacked at once. Before long the swordman lay dead about them. There was a fire in Acalewia's eyes. Her ears had picked up Curmaar's battle cry, although Colomir could not. She wiped her blades.
"We must hurry!" she cried and ran in the general drection of the cry with Colomir behind her.

[Curubethion]

Morluin glanced at the short, ferret-like man. He had spread parchments in front of the blue-robed leader. The short man was robed in black, with daggers at his belt.

"So," asked Morluin, "what have you discovered about the mithrilstone?"

The man answered, "It was Kiru the dwarf who first made it, years ago. He thought to create a weapon that would slay Durin's Bane. Some say that he heard the advice in a dream..."

"That he may have..."

"...and it seems that the dwarves kept the ring. However, all that I have heard says that it was lost with the fall of Balin, Lord of Moria."

A look of fiery rage seared over Morluin's face.

[Acalewia]

Colomir grabbed Acalewia's arm. He had heard something in the trees. The elf glared at him. Then she heard it. Suddenly an arrow flew at them, hitting Acalewia's right arm.
"Rhaich!" she cried. Then a figure stepped out before them.
"Eruanna," he hissed. she ignored her pain and faced him.
"Assasin," suddenly he grabbed her left shoulder. She gasped in pain and hit one knee. She quickly slashed his arm as Colomir attacked. The Assasin slipped back into the trees giving his cry. Colomir turned to Acalewia, who was massaging her shoulder.
"How did he know you?" He realized he knew nothing about her, save that she knew his father.
"Only a handful of people know of that wound." Her face paled. "I know who The Assasin is!"

[rohirrim TR]

The army of orcs had remained hidden, no one knew why they were waiting, but all knew it boded ill. Curamir paced around the battlements, he didn't like being trapped in the city, he was used to fighting in the open and among the trees, he disliked this inaction and lack of mobility; it would not last long.

[Curubethion]

Hluor lay, breathing heavily, in a hollow. The cold moss drenched his already sweating forehead. His feet were sore from the running he had not stopped until the midnight.

What has happened? he wondered. A madness has taken hold, a madness! Why are the heirs of Numenor hunted like illdoers?

As he lay there, trying to decide what had happened, he heard voices.

"Where did you see him?"

"He was not far from here...he vanished from sight. They say sorcerors do things like that..."

The two villagers were speaking right above him.

[rohirrim TR]

that night Curamir stepped out into the courtyard, he could hear his father and someone talking quietly, faramir was saying "we must send out scouts, but from what Curamir told us it would be suicide for whoever went out there, the assasin would simply pick them off one by one". the cloaked figure replied to him " I will go my lord, you know I am loyal, and i wish to avenge my son". Faramir seemed annoyed with the man as he answered " I have already told it is too dangerous, when will you listen to reason?" "When the blood of my son is avenged, then will i rest as an old man should". When Curamir saw who it was that his father was talking to he came forward and spoke, "let us both go and scout out the enemys position, I will not be taken unawares by the asassin again, and we know our old friend will be faithful".
Faramir sighed, "why must my soldiers join forces against me at all sides, alright then you two must leave tonight, bring me a report at this time tomorrow night". Curamir and the cloaked figure moved out of the city towards the east and no one noticed that two soldiers were missing the next morning.

[Acalewia]

Colomir looked at Acalewia as if she had lost her mind.
"Who? Be it elf or man?"
"Man, but your father should know!"
"What of Curmaar?" Acalewia listened. She could only hear the silent woods. She weighed in her mind what should be done. If they turned back, Curmaar could be killed. If they kept tracking him, Framir and his rangers could be overrun by the forces of The Assasin.
"You contunue to track Curmaar, Acalewia. I'll warn my father"
"No! You'll be killed!" She threw herself on the ground and listened. Nothing. "I don't think there is anything more we can do for our friend," They started back as Curamir and his compainion left Osgiliath.

[rohirrim TR]

the sun rose slowly as Curamir and his friend moved through the trees, they had not seen anything since last night when curamir had dispatched two sentrys with his bow, all was quiet. It was too quiet, once again Curamir felt the silence meant the asassin was near, suddenly he yelled "DOWN" and he and his companion rolled off the path and saw a lance bury itself in a tree where they had been standing. no one moved for about an hour, when curamir saw a shadowy figure going to retrieve the lance, he and his comrade took the asassin from both sides and curamir put his left arm around the asassin's thoat a dagger held at the back of his neck, his friend threw off his cloak and his black armor with the silver tree shone in the early morning light as did his sword, it was held, point to the asassin" let us see who this murderer is before we execute him Curamir" he said quietly. Curamir pulled off the asassin's hood and his friend went pale "why?.. you're dead? why have you come back?.. he asked hoarsley. " Beregond, how kind of you to remember me" the asassin replied sneering, "I thought that ranger i killed looked familiar, but until this young pup accused me of killing Bergil i didn't make the connection, what a coincedence you know" he scoffed and then let out his call. five orcs came out of the trees to his rescue and Curamir brought his dagger closer the asassin's thoat and said "call them off, or you can be the first to die in this little skirmish". Beregond stood as if in a trance as though he had seen a ghost and perhaps he had.
The asassin made his move, lunging forward pulled Curamir off balance and then the orcs were upon them, Curamir put his dagger through the first one and drew his sword and was immediately surounded while the asassin made good his escape, four more orcs joined in the attack on the rangers.
Curamir cut down two more and then was knocked down, he would have died had not Beregond seperated the head from one and with his backstroke almost cleaved in half another.

Hearing the clash of steel Colomir and Acalwecia hurried on to see what was happening what they saw was Beregond and Curamir back-to-back against six uruks, with well placed arrows they evened the odds. the last orc had almost overcome Curamir when suddenly colomirs sword sprouted out of his chest ending all of his thoughts. "well brother, i think were even now, you save me, i save you, all the orcs die, happy ending, don't you think?" "yes it would be happy, but it is not the end yet, my impulsive brother" replied 'Curamir to colomir's jocular greeting.

[Acalewia]

"We heard the call and knew the Assasin was close," Acalewia said. Beregond glanced at her.
"This day is full of surprises," he said.
"How so?" asked the elf.
"First I see a dead man walking among us. Then I meet an old friend I thought had sailed into the west."
"Then we both know who the Assasin is," Colomir and Curamir glanced at one another.
"What is she talking about?"

[Curubethion]

Curmaar blinked. Around him was a charred Haradrim camp. In it lay at least a score of mutilated bodies, all Southrons.

Where am I? the man wondered.

At his feet, an unarmed foe gasped. Looking down, Curmaar saw him draw his last breath and collapse. Who had killed him? Then, the corsar saw his own drawn blade, crimson. It was a single man who had massacred the camp. It was him.

The mithrilstone glimmered a dull silver in his belt. Breathing heavily, he ran.

[Acalewia]

"The Assasin knows her and she knows the Assasin," Colomir explained to his brother. "Although she won't tell me who it is." Acalewia ignored him.
"Whence do you two go, Beregond. The Assasin is cunning and trecherous."
"What of Curmaar? Did you find him?" Colomir shook his head.
"He is beyond our help now." he said.
"We go back to Osgiliath tomorrow night," Beregond said. "Our discovery must be made known to Lord Faramir."
"Should we not go now?" Colomir asked. "Acalewia was wounded by the Assasin."
"It is only a flesh wound!" She snapped. "It can wait until tomorrow night."
"And I would also like to know how the Assasin knows you"
"And I will tell you once Faramir knows who the Assasin is. Not until then."

[rohirrim TR]

Hluor waited, and he heard the two villagers go on, he was near the old forest of buckland and the borders of the shire, so he went to find the thain of the shire, "the hobbits would be our closest ally if I am able to speak to the thain", he thougt to himself as he crossed the brandywine just as the sun was rising.

[Curubethion]

Curmaar lay in the woods; the ground was wet with the rain and dew. A dark cloud covered the sky like a cloak, and there was a crashing boom. The warrior tried to remember what had happened...the Haradrim...attacking him...the mithrilstone...

...The defenseless man he had killed...and years ago...his dead parents.

A murderer! I am a murderer like the Assasin!

Alone in those silent woods, a man began to cry. Silence died before him. Curmaar lay on the ground, unmoving.

[Acalewia]

Seeing nothing more, the group headed back to Osgiliath. They did not speak, but listened for any sounds. By nightfall, they had reached it. Faramir met them as soon as they had entered.
"Two leave and four return," he said smiling.
"We must meet." Acalewia said. "Your sons, Beregond, and Elgost." Faramir glanced at Curamir.
"You did not tell her?"
"Tell me what?"
"Elgost is dead, Eruanna." She closed her eyes and placed a hand on her forehead.
"This news grieves me greatly." Acalewia said. "If the Assasin is behind hhis death, we must meet quickly."

[Curubethion]

"Don't move, dirty Southron!" shouted a rough voice. "You're not going anywhere!"

Curmaar looked up, and saw a dwarf standing over him. He was holding a heavy battleaxe, but he was lightly armored. Many a tale the warrior had heard about dwarves; he prudently decided to stay still. The axe-wielder appeared strong, and he held his axe with brute skill.

"Stand up," he ordered, "but don't try to fight! Nakoin the Stonehaft will make you regret it if you do!"

The dwarf, not bothering to disarm Curmaar, prodded him with the axe, and pointed somewhere in the distance. Slowly, the man marched through the growing gloom.

[Acalewia]

Acalewia stopped and listened. Colomir was the first to notice. She was rigid, as if she was expecting something to suddenly happen.
"What is it?" he asked. She held up a hand.
"He is nearby," she whispered. Faramir and Beregond turned, wondering what she was doing.
"Eruanna?" Still she said nothing. Acalewia had a strange feeling. She knew the army of orcs was hidden somewhere outside of Osgilath. The dream she had in the ranger hideout was on her mind. A grey and black arrow barely missed Colomir. Attached to it was parchment. Colomir handed it to his father, who unraveled it.
"What does it say?" Faramir held it up
Your time has come.
The end of the Rangers is at hand.
The rangers looked at one another.
"To the meeting room! Now! I want to know what this means and what you have discovered, Eruanna!"

[rohirrim TR]

far away to the north Hluor found his way to the great smials of tuckbourough a young hobbit came to the door when he knocked and seeing who was standing there he nervously asked Hluor his business. "I must speak to Thain Peregrin in the name of Elessar there is much that I must tell him, take me to him immediately". "yes sir, follow me"he replied and led him into a lowroofed(at least in the rangers eyes it was) living room where the thain and two dwarves were sitting smoking and talking about the past. "Yes, my good ranger,what has happened? oh no don't answer that quite yet have some tea, it is always the best thing after sleeping outside you know". greeted Thain peregrin cheerily. "ahh, well, you see i don't have time for that" began Hluor, but he was cut off by the Dwarf exclaiming "I recognize you, you were in bree when that madness broke loose, i am glad you are safe good dunedain, but coming here for aid is probably not the best idea, hobbits only fight when their own country is under attack, however i think the dwarves would help you if you asked in the right manner", "Oh ahh, i see, well I don't really KNOW any dwarves, or i certainly would" replied Hluor becoming frustrated. Gimli (for that is who the older dwarf was) chuckled "why good ranger you have met one, nay two since you walked in the door, I am gimli son of Gloin and this is my kinsman Makoin helmcleaver.

[rohirrim TR]

they sat down and Beregond broke the heavy silence, "my lord, this asassin was one of us once...he...it... is Nahor my lord".
"WHAt?" cryed faramir "it cannot be, i killed him myself, he fell into the fire...burned horribly...Nahor is dead. "My lord the man we knew as nahor IS dead, but the insane killer we saw in him is not" said Beregond softly.
"Will someone start from the beginning and tell me the whole story" asked Curamir heatedly; "yes why don't you start from the begining" assented Colomir. "alright my sons, I shall tell what i know and Eruanna shall tell you her part while there is time" faramir said wearily.

[Curubethion]

Three posts were in the village square of Bree. A ranger was bound to each one. A shaft of moonlight traced the pale faces of the men. It skipped down, and pierced the deep wounds that gashed into their hearts.

Morluin wandered by them. Such a scene was not as common. The rangers were hiding and fleeing. Soon they would perish.

A cloud passed back over the moon.

"RAAA!!" shrieked a creature.

In one fluid swing, a flood of glowing blue shot from Morluin, striking dead the goblin. As he looked at it, he noticed strange marks, like those of the Haradrim. Suddenly he turned his face upwards and cursed.