Hytorax

[Lief Erikson]

A Dark Beginning

"Sire!" shouted one of Thiacrese's troops from the gate. "The outer wall is breeched! Enemy soldiers are pouring in like a flood! We must flee, now!"

"No!" Thiacrese snarled in response. "We shall fight to the last man! We are surrounded by that barrows of kings! I shall die one of them, not live a coward!"

Salacor, Thiacrese's advisor, nodded quickly at his decision. "Yes, we must fight. Those vagabonds want the Hytorax, you know. The greatest magical item of your kingdom, and they want it! Theives, cowards and murderers, the lot of them!"

"They shall find nothing here but death," Thiacrese said, his voice harsh. He drew his blade as the gate quivered at the enemy battering ram. "And if need be, I shall use the Hytorax to defeat them."

"No, you cannot do that!" Salacor cried in panic. "You have not yet the skill to tap into its powers effectively!"

"The spirits of the kings still live," Thiacrese growled, clapping a hand on his councilor's shoulder and pushing him away. "If need be, I shall call on them to defend us. The Hytorax has the power to defend us, the kings of the past have bound themselves to its power. These fools cannot fight the dead."

The gate burst open and the screaming mob poured in.

"Traitors!" Thiacrese screamed as he launched himself into them. His men pushed the rabble back, but there were too many.

"DIE!" He chopped the head off of the nearest one and kicked the body aside. Turning to the next, he clove the shield that barred his way in two and continued with a second blow that pierced his opponent's helmet and dropped him dead on the floor.

"DIE, TRAITORS!"

"The last king of old," Salacor hissed to himself as he drew his own blade- a weapon forged in the dark chambers of the Necromancer. "He is like his fathers. Strong, yet sooo weak."

Two of Thiacrese's soldiers fell to enemy spears, and a third was taken out by an arrow from an archer Salacor hadn't noticed. The archer lined his next arrow up at Salacor's neck at let loose.

Salacor's sword shattered the arrow as he blocked it in flight. Quickly, he turned back to the king, just in time to see a sword catch him in the head and throw him to the ground.

Salacor ran to the man's side. "Sire! Are you all right?"

Thiacrese seized him by the throat and pulled himself up, ignoring the blood that poured down over his face from the wound on his scalp.

"Let me use the Hytorax for you," Salacor begged Thiacrese. "Your troops are dead! We cannot survive!"

"I shall kill them myself!" Thiacrese raved.

"You cannot, sire! You cannot kill so many alone!"

His words finally got through to Thiacrese, and he turned back toward Salacor. "Very well, then."

A ruthless smile crossed his lips, as he seized his councilor's arm and ran with him up the stairs of the keep, leaving the last of his soldiers to die without him.

The cries of the mob were heard below, as they pursued.

Salacor slammed the door shut and bolted it as they reached the topmost tower. Thiacrese ran to the back of the room, whipped the covering off of the emerald gem, the Hytorax, and placed his hand on it.




The battle ended. The war ended, and a quiet that had not been known before came upon the land. The tumult was over- for good. No more children cried, and no more mothers or wives wept. No soldiers chose whose allegiance they should belong to in that land any more.

This was because they were all dead, lying quietly in the ground.

An emerald green light entered the barrows beneath the earth, and darkness fell upon that land like a heavy, silent shroud.

[Silverstripe]

ooc: Okay, I think I know what we're doing. More info is found in the "A Fellowship Like No Other" thread, right, Lief Erikson?

[Lief Erikson]

*We have the plot written up there. This is a prologue: setting the stage, as it were.*

[Lief Erikson]

This was a good day, Hruad Thunoth thought to himself as he looked up at the sky. After glancing about himself to make sure that no one would be watching, he stretched. Stretching was not dignified for anyone in court, but representatives had a larger responsibility.

Sometimes, Hruad wished he could have the freedom that his friend, Bushbark had. Bushbark was his only friend outside of court or home. Those at court were all more of associates then friends, and those at home were there- at home. Bushbark probably had his roots deep in the soil right now and was just soaking in the energy from the sunlight.

Hruad smiled for a moment as he headed up the path. For this moment, he could forget the troubles that surrounded him. He could forget that the king was ailing and that his councilors were gaining power, and he could forget the uncertainties in the kingdom at the changes. The only good news that had been received, recently, that Athalt Cranain had successfully completed his campaign against the wild men of the Dunland. Their country of Enedwaith had been becoming a more dangerous place by far. With the king ailing and the increasing threat, the peole of Enedwaith had been fearing that the borderlands would be lost altogether.

Athalt was returning now as a hero, and it would be pleasing to meet the young man in person.

The people of Enedwaith had, for many years been always accustomed to meeting strange peoples and races, and their land had a spattering of these throughout. Theirs was one of the only lands that had encountered the strange "Hobbits", as they called themselves, and still believed in the ents. This was because a few had been met here, which had chosen to repopulate after the great search of the ents for the entwives. There were good trees here that could be awoken, they said, and had proceeded to take the responsibility of shepherding the Huorns of these parts.

Hruad mounted his horse and turned the bridle toward the forest on the outskirts of Néred, the capitol of Enedwaith, and the place where he spent most of his time.

Spurring his horse onward, he rode out, looking forward to a chat with his "hasty" friend.

[zavron]

ooc: Sounds interesting! I'm in!

[zavron]

I walked through Fangorn, plodding along as I went, making an awful ruckas in the forest.
My name was BoulderHead, I was an Ontor. A very close relative of The Ents. Ents were made of Trees and I was made out of Rock and boulders, that is why I am called Boulderhead. I plodded along, taking no notice of what I might be standing on. I was a very young Ontor, and today I was heading towards my friend BushBark's House.

[Lief Erikson]

As Hruad approached the "house" of the ent, he looked up in surprise as a shadow fell over him.

He caught a brief glimpse of a strange light sandy brown object, and then its foot was coming down.

"Root of the earth!" Hruad muttered in amazement as his horse screamed and bore him out of the way.

The foot came down where he had been a moment before.

Hruad drew his sword, but knew that it would be little avail as he looked more closely at the creature. "STOP!"

The creature hesitated in surprise, and slowly looked about it. Its eyes focused on him and widened slightly. "Human? What are you doing here?"

Then Bushbark was striding swiftly out of the trees, to join them, Hruad noted in relief.

[zavron]

''Human?'' I scartched by bald stone head. ''I haven't seen a human since...well...about yesterday I suppose which Isn't very long ago...but...Now what was I talking about?'' I asked a little dumbfounded.

[Lief Erikson]

*I suppose if you play a second character, that one will be a little smarter, eh?

I'm just going to wait for Blackboar to respond before continuing in this area.*

[zavron]

When is blackboar usually online? Gotta go for awhile, but stay online I'll be back in a bit.

[Tessar]

Elise sighed and rubbed her forehead. Why in Eru's name must she tramp across the whole of Middle Earth just to find one little stone?

Well there was no time to contemplate that. She had a job to do and she would do it. Even if it was self imposed.

"Igenae'a, torolooth sen ach neah siv ratoh atha" she murmured, "There is no job that cannot be done if the will is strong." An old language and saying. Very old.

Aldeb, her mare, sniffled Elise's shoulder and gave a soft neigh, agreeing completely.

"It has been some time sense either of us were young," Elise said and patted her horse's head. "But that is to the good as both our wills are stronger now. At least I should hope so."

Aldeb nodded her head and Elise laughed. But her eyes seemed to pierce earth as the flickered from side to side. Always searching.


The sunset in golden glory, covering the sky in flame for a few moments and then sinking away slowly as the stars sprang to life in the sky. A glorious end to a damp day that had almost begged for rain. Thankfully it had not rained. Yet.

But death whispered that night. No, it screamed. It screamed for Elise's soul and whipped it's self into a frenzy for the wrights had known of Elise's coming for some time. And they knew what she looked for.

An old piece of jewelry that had been hers once and then again before it was lost from her sight. But now she wanted it back. It had memories that were worth keeping. And worth the fight she knew she would have to face.


Hungry fire licked at the sticks and branches that Elise threw on it, crackling and popping away.

"Aye, you eat now so that I may eat later." Elise said, her gray eyes gazing into the fire and also at the pot of stew she was stirring. Stewed rabbit always did taste extra good after a hard days journey.

And then Elise's head jerked up as a keen wail began, the sound of the barrows, so close but not close enough to hurt Elise, though Aldeb screamed and reared, her eyes rolling in her head as the chant touched her soul with it's power.

"You shall not bring your death to my camp!" Elise cried out into the night, standing firm and resolute.

"Stop this dirge now or you shall taste elvish song! I am no ordinary old woman as you well know!"

The only answer was a scream and the wail continued, piercing and throbbing.

Elise muttered a curse and grabbed at Aldeb's harness, trying to settle the mare as she wracked her brains for an elvish song that would do as she needed.

Then it came to her, just the song she needed and she began to sing it in a clear and high voice, a voice that could be heard for miles around.

It was a haunting tune, but beautiful as the stars that burned in the sky, and as battering ram would strike a gate, so Elise's song smashed through the sounds of the barrow and struck home to the wraiths that lived within.

The wails changed pitch and became those of pain, for death cannot stand in the sun or listen to what is good and beautiful for long.


"Ah, I have not sung that for... Well... A long time." Elise said softly as the last notes hung and echoed through the downs, driving away the foul spirits.

Tomorrow would bring the sun. Tomorrow she would search the downs and find what she wanted.

But tonight she needed rest. And food. Elise most sincerely hoped the stew hadn't burnt or over cooked while she was singing. If it had she would personally hunt down every wraith and make it eat the stew.

Fortunately for the wraiths, Elise wasn't so unkind that she would feed anything that tasted like that stew to even the Dark lord himself.

No, hard bread and cheese was NOT a very good substitute for rabbit stew.

And so feeling rather mournful and empty of belly, Elise rolled up in her cloak and slept.

[Blackboar]

(I'm always online!!! )

Bushbark peaked through the trees slighy.

"Why Boulderhead, what are you doing in the area of my true delight while the trees are happy"

"I'm am only a little enting of little importance, why are you driffting through the trees of Fangorn to see and meet me!"

[zavron]

Scratches head again ''Err...what was it now?...Ahh yes. I came for a small visit, that was it! Yes, how are you my good friend?'' I asked moving also nearly stepping on the person again.

[Blackboar]

"Quite well," I paused, "but quite lonely, lots of my good friends are becoming very treeish, I am glad to see you, come lets chat, you must have come all this way for a very good reason! And do not be impetuos my good friend! We do not want anyone to expire under our feet do we?"

[zavron]

''NO! Certainly not! he smell would last for ages.'' I plodded into Bushbarks House.

[Blackboar]

"Now lets not be impetuos, so please tell me, there must me a good reason why you plodded so afar from your home?"

I waited curiously, my knotted "hair" blowing in the wind.

"Would you like a drink of water? While you tell me a few secrets of this world."

[zavron]

''Errr...No, I am not very good at Drinking at all. I'll have some stonebread if you have any?'' I asked.

[Blackboar]

"Not much, but I'll see what I can find......Ahh yes 1 left, here you go" I chucked the bread at Boulderhead. "oops, sorry!!"

[zavron]

I ground the stonebread into Granite with my teeth.
''Good stonebread. Ahh yes. I have heard news from the North which has desturbed The Older Ontars. They talk of The Order of The Blue Flame, but they say that we wont have to bother about it for awhile, There is something else though that worries me also, from the barrows.'' I said waiting for dramatic astonishment from them.

[Blackboar]

"Don't stop!!! This is indeed very interesting!!"