Chapter fourteen: The Fall
The Misty Mountains certainly lived up to its name. The mist and fog grew thick as Thendryt continued towards the area he knew Odak was camped in. The directions he had been given were vague, at best. Bovad seemed unaffected.
“Odak!” He yelled, his voice echoing through the peaks of the mountain. No reply.
He looked around him. The mist made it hard to pinpoint anything in the landscape, he needed to try and hear Odak if he were to find him.
“Odak!” He yelled, a second time, louder.
“He’s not here, Thendryt.” Thendryt slowly turned around. He knew who it was. He knew Bryn would come. This confirmed everything.
“What are you doing here, Bryn?” Thendryt asked.
Bryn took a few steps closer before he replied.
“Looking for Odak, just like you.” A hint of a smile escaped Bryn’s lips. “I heard he came to see you…”
Thendryt could feel the rage building up inside of him, but remained calm.
“Did he say anything to you, boy?”
“He did.” Thendryt replied. “He had an interesting… Theory.” Bryn raised an eyebrow.
“A theory?”
“Aye, something about the Organization using me to gain information about Rivendell.” Thendryt slowly walked over to Bovad as he spoke. “That we were planning an attack of some sort.”
“That’s ridiculous. You didn’t believe him did you?”
Thendryt petted Bovad’s mane. He glanced over at his spear and sword, which were attached to the horse’s side.
“Of course not.” He said, turning around to face his old mentor.
“That’s my boy. He will try to do anything to get what he wants.” Bryn glanced into the mist. “Now we just need to find him and ki…”
“I did believe Myrith though.” Thendryt cut him off. Bryn flinched.
“Myrith…?”
“Yes. The Angmarim in charge of my… Training… In Carn Dûm.”
“I didn’t want to believe Odak, you see. So I had to be sure.”
“And how did you get this Angmarim to talk?” Bryn asked.
“I held him over a fire until his skin started to melt and he told me everything I wanted to know.” Bryn seemed slightly surprised at his answer.
“That’s harsh, even for you.”
“You have no idea what I went through in there.” Thendryt growled. “Or wait… You knew exactly what I went through in there, don’t you?” Thendryt’s emotions were boiling over, his vision getting slightly blurred.
“Look boy.” Bryn said. “We had to be sure.”
“You had to be sure I didn’t know of Odak’s discovery? You needed to know if I was still loyal to the Organization.”
“Yes. And I take it you’re here to offer your help to Odak, not kill him.”
“Actually, I was hoping you’d be here so I could kill you for what you did to me, Master. And for what you are about to do. I would rather die before turning on my Warband.”
Bryn smiled.
“Oh Thendryt… I can help you with that.” Five men walked up behind Bryn. Thendryt recognized some of them. He took a step back and grabbed a hold of his hilt and spear shaft.
“Don’t worry boy, the Elves of Rivendell will be taken care of.”
“You underestimate them.” Thendryt growled.
“I don’t think so. I’m pulling the strings, there will be no mistakes.” Bryn turned and started to walk downwards.
“You can’t hurt them.”
Bryn stopped.
“What was that, boy?”
“If I am to die here, I’m taking all of you with me.” Thendryt said, his voice firm and full of dedication.
Bryn dismissed his threat. “Enough of this.” Bryn gestured to his men. “He’s all yours.”
“Shame I can’t stay and see you leave this world myself, Thendryt, my boy.” Bryn started walking. “But there’s an Elf on her way back to Rivendell that I need to dispose of.”
Faorie. She wasn’t supposed to get dragged into this. She wouldn’t die because of him. No one in the Warband would die because of him. Thendryt closed his eyes and for a moment everything went quiet. And then there was only blood in his mind.
“BRYN!!” He screamed as he drew his sword and forced Bovad to take a quick step back, while pulling his spear out of its straps. The horse darted away into the mist as Thendryt charged the five men.
He saw shadows. Shadows of black and silver. He avoided the silver, the silver couldn’t touch him. Whenever it did it hurt him. Five shadows were surrounding him, swinging their silver shadows towards him, trying to make the silver shadows touch him, or pierce him. But Thendryt had silver of his own. He also had a spear, which he used to its full potential. Soon one shadows disappeared, right after he pieced it. There was a total silence in this mist. Only he and the shadows were dancing. Another shadow disappeared, after he cut its head off with his sword. But then another appeared. I didn’t matter, all of them needed to disappear. He needed to get out of there, needed to catch up to her before it was too late.
One after another, he made the shadows disappear. Until there was only one left. The last one was different. Harder to kill, as it knew how he fought. It didn’t matter, it had to be disposed of.
He tried to attack it from the side but it grabbed a hold of his spear and pulled it away from him. Wasting no time, he swung his sword at its exposed side but the shadow was quick and parried, making him loose his hold of it. He quickly drew a dagger.
“I must stop Bryn.” He said to himself. “I must warn Faorie.” He couldn’t fail. He advanced with the dagger in his hand. But the shadow took the dagger away from him.
He couldn’t fail. He couldn’t let this happen. He lunged at the shadow in a final, desperate attempt before his last strength was drained.
Suddenly, his vision and hearing returned. He stood still, the wind cooling his face. He watched the shadow as it became clearer and clearer. It almost looked like Faorie.
He felt a strong pain in his abdomen. Something warm and thick was flowing down his right leg.
“I…” The shadows stuttered. It looked so much like Faorie.
“Faorie?” He asked.
Thendryt took a step back. There was a dagger in him. He thought it peculiar.
“Thendryt…”
He looked at her. He was glad she was here. That meant that Bryn hadn’t found her yet. And none of the shadows would get to her.
“I’m…” He found it hard to speak. “So glad you’re safe…” He took a step back. His balance was failing, his strength finally used up.
Thendryt stared into Faorie’s eyes. Then he fell. He reached for her, but she was too far. He watched her disappear in the mist as he descended ever downwards. This was the end. He had fallen.
And then there was only darkness.
