Hytorax Part 2

[Lief Erikson]

Toward the heart of madness

"You have done well, Aasinav. My thanks . . ."

"And mine."

"And mine."

The other members of the Shadowhand's Ruling Council nodded their heads in agreement, and their eyes were all focused upon the gem in Aasinav's hand. It glowed green and white light, glimmering almost like an elven jewel in the darkness of the stark, bare edged room. There were chairs in a semi circle, and Aasinav stood before that semi circle, the Hytorax held out in his hand.

"It must be linked at once," said an older man from a corner. "Linked to the others, to the final connection. We have the skill and the power to do that, though it will take time."

"We can afford the time, Fhorin," Aasinav said smoothly. "Dagankor is even now dealing with the remainder of that pitiful band. They have no chance against his armed troops combined with his magic."

"Don't be so sure," Fhorin answered. "They have proved themselves resourceful already, as well as powerful."

Aasinav nodded, though he knew that the responsibility now rested entirely with the other man, and Dagankor was capable of accomplishing such a small thing. Dagankor and he had manipulated the company every step of its way since its creation, using it for their own purposes. Strange creatures had joined it on the way; it was an odd collection of races at the end. But it was still powerful and capable, and he'd channeled that energy down the path it should take.

"Come," Fhorin said, rising from his seat. "Let us go and place the Hytorax in its home. Aasinav, you have the honors."

Aasinav smiled slightly as he led the small group of men out of the council room and into an antechamber directly adjacent to it.

A blazing array of light and energy lay before them, a grid of connected magical items that it was difficult to focus the eyes on. Aasinav laid the Hytorax beside it. "It is ready to be merged with the rest."

"I shall summon those who constructed this much, at Vardor's order," Fhorin said, turning to leave. As he reached the door he stopped, turned and looked back at his comrades. "From now on, we work night and day until the magic is completed."

[Lief Erikson]

"Drop your weapons," Dagankor commanded in a loud voice.

The company stood where they were as if made of stone. They couldn't believe what had just happened.

"No!" Adrian cried, her temper getting the better of her. She whipped her sword from its sheath, and Glimdrell produced a long knife swiftly in his right hand. Aralle half crouched, but retained her human shape for the present. At least until the fighting began.

"Wait!" Hruad said, his voice hoarse and his eyes locked on Dagankor's face. He tore his gaze away and looked at the company behind him, dry eyed.

They all hesitated and looked back to him. Elise still hadn't moved, but she looked up quickly to his face. For a moment Hruad didn't move as the weight of decision churned in his mind. What hope had they, even with all their power and skills, against what was now at least a hundred fully armored soldiers? These weren't orcs, they were human infantry.

Dagankor also stood there like a coiled snake, ready to strike upon the slightest provocation. Vahatres sat behind him in his throne, motionless, barely seeming to see what was happening before him.

They were a handful against what was almost an army. But if they were captured, would they not be killed anyway? They might at least take the sorcerer with them.

What good would that do, in the long run?

Hruad turned back to Dagankor, startled.

Are you ready to die, and condemn all your band to death? Surrender, and you will be spared. We have the Hytorax and all the victory is in our hands. Fighting against us will cause a mere dent in our numbers, while surrendering gives you the chance to live and fight again. Dagankor smiled. Do you think you can really do much for your cause now? Kill a few men . . . what a great deed as you die.

"Leave him to make his decisions in peace," Elise said abruptly.

A man stepped out from among the ranks of soldiers wearing the emblem of the Shadowhand. He didn't wear it, but wore the insignia of Enedwaith. He bowed to Dagankor, and nodded his head to the soldiers in respect.

"Sir, I will take these rebels to the prisons, if you are willing."

Dagankor's eyes flitted to the man, and so did Hruad's. He looked at Dagankor again, and then to his comrades. Then, a moment later, he sighed heavily. "We surrender."

[Tessar]

Elise arched an eyebrow at Hurad and briefly considered leaving the company, her eyes still searching with an earth-piercing gaze and taking in both the enemy’s number and strength. If she caught him by surprise… No. There were too many mortals for her to use any real power.

Maybe if she could find a way to be alone with the sorcerer for even a moment… Yes that would do nicely. But until that time she would wait. Elise had no fear of death, but she had a task to do, and if she did not complete that task then there was no point in even being here.

“Drop your weapons.” a man said, shuffling nervously up to Elise.

With a scornful look that caused him to take a step back, Elise snorted and said, “Do I look like I have a weapon to you? Pawh! Where did you grow up? A farm?” the question was left unanswered and Elise leaned on her staff a little, hunching back over and grateful that she hadn’t shed her brown robes yet. Again she was simply a harmless old woman, leaning on a staff for support.

Elise let her eyes casually trail over the pile of weapons on the floor and she saw the boy… Yes, Asaar was definitely his name, draw his two daggers and drop them… But hadn’t he had some smaller ones? Elise’s face never flickered and instead she slumped more, as if realizing that all hope was gone. Maybe they would find the hidden ones, and for the boy’s sake she hoped not.

Aasinav… Yes that was a name she would remember. It was the name of a dead man.

[Finrod Felagund]

OOC: I think that Fimbren the elf and Entai the Griffin will start out together in the dungeons and meet you there ok?

[Mathron]

Aasinav returned to his room for much needed rest after the events of the last few days. He would be called back when the rest of the Council was closer to compiling the Hytorax into the magical matrix, but until then, he would meditate and regain his strength.

Sitting on his bed, he said softly, "Lómin."

The elvish word seemed to resonate in the air for a moment, and then the shadow within him stirred, and poured off of him, resolving into a humanoid shape. His own face stared back at him, a cruel smile upon it, waiting his commands.

"Keep watch," said the sage, "over Dagankor and those in his custody. Watch their actions, and report back to me when I awake. Do not be seen."

"Of course," whispered the shadow, "It shall be as you will."

It vanished without a sound, and Aasinav sighed with weariness. Binding one's own shadow self was a worthwhile effort, but draining, especially when he was already at the point of magical exhaustion.

But soon... soon, the Council's work would be complete. When the Hytorax was integrated, they would attain great power.
Knowledge was power. Thus, power was knowledge. With the magical might granted by their success, nothing would be hidden from Aasinav's mind.

He almost smiled before retiring to his bed, and letting sleep overtake him.

[Arat-Falathion]

“Drop your weapons!” The command rang like the reverberation of a thousand catedrals, what had just happened had startled the elf, he didn't see Aasinav's betrayal comming and now they were overpowered by a hundred men. Perhaps they would manage to fight back the soldiers, fight them back till the limit of their endurance, fight till they dropped in exhaustion, and then die a honorable death. No, the enemy was too strong, too many...

Glimdrell dropped his bow and quiver and slipped his beloved dagger out of its sheath and placed it jently on the floor. A soldier walked over to the pile to pick up the weapons at Glimdrells feet, confident that the elf wouldn't strike in his possition of being outnumbered.

The soldier swooped down and grabbed the bow and quiver, then went for the dagger. Glimdrell stopped him with a hand to the chest and whispered harshly: "I'll be comming after my dagger and bow, look behind you where the shadows grow!" The flickering fire in the elven eyes glowed fiercly at the soldier, and the man staggered a little before the elf let go of his grip, letting the soldier pick up his dagger. Glimdrell was surely ready for a fight right there and then, but he wasn't alone, he had to think of his comrades' safety, and never would he stand in a face to face fight, that wasn't the area of fighting he had developed.

Glimdrell thought about that for a moment... realizing how vulnerable he was in his place right now. Most likely the swordsman before him could outduel him face to face, even if the soldier only had very basic knowledge of the sword. Yes, Glimdrell was swift, agile and flexible. But that alone wouldn't help him face to face with his enemy. The realization struck him right there and then, the weakness was too great. If he ever got out of this alive, he would start to learn to master the sword, if he ever got out...

[Adrian Baggins]

I heard the drop wepons command and dropped mmy broad sword, thinking about my other wepons that this man, if man he was, knew nothing about. 'How can I get myself and the others out?' I wondered, then shook the though out of my head, that was my brother, all I had to worry about was how to get myself out. 'WOLF, Siwft was still out there, I could wait till everyone is asleep and then shift and talk to him.' The thought rang through my head, that was my plan, I would tell no one.

[Lief Erikson]

*

Originally posted by Finrod Felagund
OOC: I think that Fimbren the elf and Entai the Griffin will start out together in the dungeons and meet you there ok?

Sounds fine. Fimbren's being in prison actually also gives him a good excuse to not be in Valinor at the moment, so that makes it all the better. This RPG is taking place a while after Sauron's fall, you see.*

Dagankor smiled as the company members slowly and reluctantly laid down their weapons. His soldiers came up among them as well, quickly feeling them, making sure no daggers or other weapons were hidden about them.

Finally one of them walked over to Dagankor. "They're all disarmed."

"Then take them to the prison levels," he said and walked over to one of the hall doorways.

The soldiers immediately laid hands on all of the company, beginning to hustle them in that direction. One by one they passed through the doorway, down toward the lower levels.

As Elise walked through the doorway though, Dagankor's hand darted out and he snatched her staff from her hands. She instantly tried to grab it back, but it was too late. He threw it out into the air and it landed on top of the other weapons. Then she was pushed through the hall as well, leaving Dagankor alone with only a few troops left.

"You'll find two large chests in my quarters," Dagankor told one of the soldiers. "Take these weapons and put them in the one close to the window. Don't look in the other."

The soldier nodded and walked over to the stack, but Dagankor headed back into Vahatres' quarters, to let him know what had just taken place.

[Finrod Felagund]

OOC: Just to let you know, Fimbren is a Noldorin elf lord who was originally from Valinor, a friend of Finrod and Galadriel, but chose to remain in Middle-Earth after Sauron's defeat to help heal the land. And he is good friends with Treebeard as well. One other thing, this takes place in Gondor correct?


ic: Fimbren could not believe he had been captured. "I thought that the men of this country were elf friends!" he said to the Griffin lying next to him on the floor who looked mournfully at him with great golden eyes. "Why" Fimbren complained, "And how? WHERE ARE MY WEAPONS?!?!?!" A guard came up and grinned. He only had one tooth. "They're safe, but 'choo wont be needin' 'em will yeh?" He giggled and walked away.
Fimbren slumped against the wall and sighed.

[Silverstripe]

ooc: The story takes place in Enedwaith.

[Earniel]

Ever since they had entered the citadel through the door near the stables Imarwyn and Tareod had encountered no one safe one or two guards whom they had avoided easily. The silence that hung in the citadel was unsettling.

"It's much to quiet here." whispered Tareod.

Imarwyn nodded. "Too true. There should have been plenty of people around here. Yet you hear almost nothing. I wonder where.... wait, listen."

Both stood still in the corridor. Not far off they heard voices and the clatter of weapons. Silently they crept closer to the source of the sounds. Imarwyn put her ear to the door. "Then take them to the prison levels," she heard an unpleasant voice say, followed by the sound of many feet. Quickly she pulled Tareod with her away from the door. "They're coming!" she hissed. They hid behind thick curtains that adorned the hall.

Much to Imarwyn's surprise she saw Hruad's little company pass by surrounded by soldiers. They had been intercepted. The scholar is missing, she noticed. Had he been killed? It would explain the downcast expression of the others.

There was still noice inside so they kept hidden. A few moments later another soldier left the hall, his arms full with weapons. Imarwyn recognized the bow and staff. When he also disappeared around the corner, the two Rohirrim came from behind the curtains.

"Things have apparantly gone awry." whispered Imarwyn with a frown. "They've been caught. Follow the soldier with the weapons, you won't have much difficulty following him with the noice he makes. Find out where those weapons are kept but don't take them yet. It would alert them to our presence. I'll try to see where the prisoners are brought to. Meet me back at the stables."

Tareod nodded. "Good luck Imarwyn and... be careful."

"Good luck to you too, Tareod." said Imarwyn and hurried after the guards and their prisoners. She could still hear their footsteps echo in the quiet corridors. Tareod watched her go and then stalked after the guard.

[Lief Erikson]

"What was that?"

"You haven't heard? People are beginning to be allowed back into the citadel now, but apparently it was largely sealed off because of a military operation going on."

The man looked Athalt up and down a little more suspiciously. "But you should know all about that; you're a captain, aren't you?"

"I'm not let in on everything that's going on. So what was the purpose of this operation?"

"We don't know yet, but apparently a government official named Dagankor was in charge of it. They're rather tight lipped on what was going on, but they let in a lot of strange soldiers today, with a black hand on their tunics. Disgusting, I find that. Foreign troops on Enedwaith soil!"

"Thank-you for your opinions."

Athalt left the man gaping at him and hurried on, his legs covering the earth in long strides as he crossed the ground. He felt he was pretty sure what this military operation would be; somehow they knew about Hruad's company. Athalt definitely had authorization to enter the prison levels, but Dagankor thought very little of him and his troops. He didn't realize, perhaps, that only magic and Athalt's changing his mind about the company had caused him from not taking the Hytorax. There was much that Athalt could still do, if he thought there was a chance of helping them. His own troops would believe him if he told them what was going on. The presence of the Shadowhand troops in the citadel would help give credence to his claims, but Athalt wouldn't act rashly. Hruad and his comrades had gone in in secrecy. Their survival and the possibility of saving this failed mission could lie in secrecy still.

[Finrod Felagund]

Fimbren heard voices coming down the corridor. he faintly made ou that they were bringing a number of prisoners down to the cells.

[Lief Erikson]

A key rattled in the lock and then turned with a rusty squeak. The door was pushed sharply open and Fimbren stepped hurriedly back as a multitude of individuals were roughly pushed inside.

[Finrod Felagund]

Fimbren looked at each of them for a moment and asked, "Who are you?"

[Lief Erikson]

Hruad groaned and sat down in a corner of the cell, putting his head in his hands. The others also looked stunned still; numb with shock.

Brilindil stepped from among the company and walked over to Fimbren. "We're a company that collected some weeks ago with the purpose of finding a magical item called the Hytorax, and using it to free the mind of the king. He is under the spell of a sorcerer named Dagankor. We have been betrayed into Dagankor's hands by one of our own, and they have the Hytorax now."

He rubbed a hand across his worn cheek, where a tear was beginning to trickle down. "We've failed, and Enedwaith is lost."

"Why are you here?" Adrian asked Fimbren, and he glanced down at the hobbit.

[Finrod Felagund]

Fimbren frowned. "I don't know who this sorceror is but i was told I am in on his orders. You see I am very old, and fairly well known, and if I do say so myself a skilled warrior and quite powerful. I can only guess that he felt that I might try to stop him from his schemes, because I am the sworn protector of Middle-Earth. I am also a healer you see. This Griffin is called Entai. He killed an Enedwaith guard. But it was in self defense when the quard saw him he drew a sword and charged, Entai had no choice. We've both been in here two weeks. But tell me, what is this Hytorax? For I had heard whispered rumours of it even before you arrived."

[Silverstripe]

Aralle's eyes grew wide as she saw the other griffin, the golden-eyed Entai. She had not seen another of her kind since the war between griffins and gargoyles. It was all she could do not to run to Entai to ask how he had been, how he lived through the war, and whether he knew other griffins.

Though their enemies probably knew she was a griffin (Aasinav might well have guessed that from Aralle's story about a young griffin during the war), she couldn't risk carelessness now. There was still a chance that the sorcerer didn't know. Entai would know that Aralle was a griffin, anyway; griffins were rarely fooled by appearances.

[Earniel]

All in all I was lucky they were locked up in the lower levels, Imarwyn thought. There is less light here and more shadows to hide in. Though if someone was really looking for her not even the shadows would be enough to hide her.

Hidden she watched the prisoners being locked up. She made herself small into a dark corner when the guards returned. They passed without noticing her. So far so good. She now knew where the prisoners were kept. And it was useful to know they were all locked in one cell.

A moment she hesitated. If she could talk with them, she could learn what had happened and what had become of the Hytorax. But it was a risky thing to do, no doubt a guard could return any time to check on the prisoners. Still....

She pulled her hood over her head and stepped out of the shadows. Both the corridors to the right and left were empty and silent. Quickly she stepped to the cell door. The key was gone but that was to be expected. Standing on her toes she tried to look through the little metal grid in the door. But the inside of the cell was too dark. Yet she could hear the prisoners talk inside.

"Hruad! Glimdrell!" she whispered urgently. Quickly she glanced around her again but the coast remained clear. "Glimdrell, can you hear me?"

[Arat-Falathion]

"I hear you well." Glimdrell whispered softly with a smile, suddenly appearing from the shadows in a corner.