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Who without hardship
can take another one's life,
proves one thing:
He can do it.
And the easier
it will be for him,
if he needs
to kill.
For hesitation
brings nothing,
but the own
Death.
-Dark Elvish way of saying
»The early bird gets the worm«
North of Middle-Earth, North of the realm of the Kraggash, Late Third Age
Thangrineth could have never predicted that the Galran Unuk would be possessing such powers. The force was channeled through her, had dyed her vision into tones of red and had let her feel a heat that reminded of a furnace. Her hit leg throbbed and felt numb and swollen beneath the glowing metal cuisse. Without it, she would at least have suffered a broken bone, if not even lost the leg. The best weapon-crafters of the Elves in this age would have a very hard time to compare their skill to such arms.
She bit unto her own teeth, cut the straps that held the cuisse and jumped up into the air to dodge the nearing foe. She would strike her spear from above through his neck.
But the Galran Unuk had seen the maneuver coming. One hammer struck against the spear shaft, and with such force that it was bend in the middle; the second was swung against Thangrineth's lower legs, but missed its aim only sharply.
Robbed of her support and brought out of balance, the Dark Elf fell towards the awaiting fortress' master, who raised his hammers in anticipation and grinned. A red glow was set about the heads.
Thangrineth tapped her powers and summoned blackness, let the light be extinguished. The whisper of fear should dazzle her foe so far for his attacks to fail.
Obediently the brightness ceased, but not as it usually happened. Also did the Galran Unuk not seem to be very impressed or scared, if also discomposed that he retreated three steps.
»Games!«, he called angrily. »Instead of a fair fight you save yourselves in games!« He raised the hammers and moved them before him. »I will teach you the lesson thieves learn from me! This fight you will loose.«
»Ho! Galran Unuk!« Cadhalor stood next to a shelf and held a lit lamp over an opened chest; it smelled of spilled petroleum. »In there is a lot of paper. I bet, it burns as soon as I let this lamp fall.«
The Galran Unuk lowered his arms.
Thangrineth uttered a growl. She would not thank her companion for his intrusion. »We have no evil intentions.«
»Only to possess my treasure«, the Galran Unuk spoke and looked at them accusingly, as if he was inquiring, who would be the easier foe. »And those I would never yield to you.« He raised the right hammer and pointed at Cadhalor. »What did you take from me? Put it back, leave the traitor and you can go.«
Thangrineth laughed evil. »Certainly. Your words suffice as promise«, she said with biting ridicule.
»Then we will kill you and leave the same way that we took to enter«, Cadhalor added.
»Do you think, you would have really entered, if I would not have allowed it?« The master of the fortress regarded them patronizingly. »I left the tunnel open on purpose for Kajara. That she brings such sort of support, I could not have foreseen. «
He continued to hold the hammers ready, his body was under tension. »You know my offer. Take it or loose your undying life because of a useless Obbôna.« His eyes became slits. »How did she manage to gain the help of two Dark Elves to her raid?« His eyes roamed the shelves. »You have taken something very valuable.«
»Not for Kraggash«, Thangrineth replied. She had checked the spear and found that it was quite bend, but still usable, only the mechanism had been destroyed. She could no longer part it into two pieces.
The Galran Unuk laughed in disbelief. »So they send you that you may steal the crown and the parchment?«, he estimated correctly. »Munugash is too much of a coward to try it himself or send a host against me.« He raised the arms, the muscles tightened. »Let it be said to you, that without the Obbôna you would have just as low chances.«
»Believe me: If we had a choice, we would slaughter the misshapen goblins, instead of following their order. That we will do, as soon as we have everything we require.« Cadhalor held the lamp even lower so that a quivering flame closed in on the petroleum.
»Let us pass.«
»What else would you need?«
Thangrineth hurled her spear against the Galran Unuk, hurried after it, drew her sword in the run. »Your head«, she called with laughter and lunged out.
Her enemy was only able to block the projectile because it had trundled during its flight through the bend form. Otherwise, the aim would have shot straight through his head. But the spear hit the hammer and the tip splintered under the impact.
Thangrineth had estimated that to happen. Using the diversion, she struck at him from a full run and set her target to be her enemy's exposed throat.
Already did the second weapon of the Galran Unuk shoot up and caught the blade, pushed it away and attacked with his right.
Thangrineth cursed loudly and kicked against his nearing wrist. She hit, the fingers of the Galran Unuk gave the hammer free, and Thangrineth caught the masterless weapon elegantly. She used the force, turned around her own axis and swung the heavy weapon against her enemy's middle.
Clashing, hammer met hammer. The Galran Unuk parried once again.
Enormous and old powers were unleashed and tore Thangrineth a new off the ground, It felt as if a wild river would take possession of her. The air escaped her lungs. Through a red veil, she saw the Galran Unuk, who was laying on the opposite of the room's ground. A red puddle spread around his head.
Then Cadhalor suddenly jumped at her and pulled Thangrineth to her feet. »Up with you«, she perceived his voice deep and stretched, as if he would yawn when he spoke. »The Obbôna has opened the door. His men are coming!«
»Killing them«, Thangrineth uttered and wondered why she sounded so strange and dull. She had perfectly phrased the sentence in her head. As Cadhalor let go off her, she had to grasp the shelf. Arms, legs, her body had acquired something soft, as if her bones had lost all their stability. Lights glimmered before her that suddenly disappeared into fog. She had to admit to herself that she was unable to fight in this state.
Reluctantly she followed Cadhalor, stumbled about, hit several times appearing obstacles and took something from the shelves that looked like a spear. Her old one she did not find anymore. More so it was rendered useless, bend as it was and robbed of the deadly blades.
Her perception was fooling her, turned the flesh-thief into a real elvish woman. »I have snuck out before the door had shut completely and opened it from the outside«, she spoke brightly and granted Cadhalor a smile that invited him to do anything with her what he would desire. »Once we reach freedom from these walls, I will restore the parchment, my divine lord and lady. Not earlier.«
Thangrineth shook herself, stumbled over her feet and fell. Together they had to help her up, or she would have remained lying there.
She did not recognize the way they took. Her arms and legs rose and lowered themselves. It was not even possible for her to tell why she was feeling the way she did. She perceived screaming, Cadhalor stopped several times and sent out arrows and then Thangrineth had to crawl through a hatch. Her hands she saw three times, she did not know which were the right ones. She always missed.
»Bethink yourself!«, Cadhalor called at her angrily. »Do you hear? Bethink yourself and climb down the chain. If you fall, you will die. Remember our quest and bethink yourself! What should the conclave say? Do you want to shame yourself?«
No, that she surely did not want. She repressed the fog before her sight as well as she could and moved down along the chain. Even though she hurried, the other two were getting ever more advance. She let go off the spear and tried to keep up.
After some time, she found the last tunnel, regained the spear that had been caught within the massive chain links and rushed more out of the hatchet than she stepped. They hurried over to the forest, towards the cover of the wood.
Thangrineth turned her head.
Every single light of the towers had been lit, the windows shone brightly and at the top, the fires were burning on the very tip of the constructs. A truly imperious, awe inspiring sight! A loud rattling lay in the air, metallic squeaking mixed into it, increased its menacing loud sound ten and twenty times.
»Run!«, Kajara screamed in the face of death. »Divine lord and lady, run and do not stop!«
Thangrineth knew little better. She had to remain and observe what would happen.
The towers moved!
Then she realized that she had been tricked by an illusion. Only enormous doors, set hidden into the very masonry of the buildings had opened, gave free the look unto small and big hatchways. The fortress acquired uncountable mouths and eyes, in which lights flamed up. A sight that she would have loved to imprint on a canvas. Before the nightly sky, the building seemed not real, not from this world.
Dark horns were blown, shrill whistles sounded up.
The first lifts were delivered to the ground. The men did not want to let two murderers vanish unpunished.
Thangrineth glared with wide open eyes at what she saw. The darkness was filled with light that brightened the plains. Hundreds of stars rose from the fortress into the sky. They swirled up towards the somber clouds, into the blackness of the night and desired a place among their undying, ever shining siblings. They formed patterns with their tails, painted the firmament with glowing colors. They overtook one another, inveighed of who could fly higher and higher. No, she would never be able to create this incomparable image only in the slightest upon her canvas.
»Undying blood«, she whispered taken. »Such beauty!« Thangrineth gulped and seemed nigh tears. The sight touched her deeply in her spirit.
But the distance appeared for the pitiful stars to be too tremendous.
Their flight ended, they described a bow, descended to the earth and would shatter.
»No«, she called confounded and held up her arms as if she could catch every single one and save them from perishing. »Look, how they fall, the stars! They ...«
»You fool!«, Cadhalor roared into her right ear. »Flaming arrows! They shoot with flaming arrows after us!«
Thangrineth was taken by the shoulder and pulled away, while the rain of stars became tighter and tighter. If they would remain here, they would soon find themselves beneath the glowing cloud that came down upon them.
As the first projectiles impacted with the ground to the right and left of Thangrineth, pushed sizzling into the grass and set dry stalks ablaze, her recognition returned. She ran after Cadhalor by her own will.
About them it swirled and hissed. The first salve had not struck any of them, one arrow had penetrated her water skin without harming her.
Behind them, something rushed darkly and as Thangrineth looked over her shoulder, she saw by fire covered orbs of the size of a grown man that carried broad, fiery tails after them. Between them, dark shadows skulked. One dull impact later, she knew that they were hurling rocks. Behind them, the plains were on fire.
Finally her mind was being cleared, her fast beating heart pumped every confusion out of her head and the fresh air cleansed her thoughts. »To the cave!«, she called to Cadhalor who ran in front of her.
The Obbôna suffered a burning arrow from above through the right shoulder. Thangrineth heard it sizzle as the flame died upon entering the flesh, a moment later the flesh-thief screamed up. But she ran off, was overtaken by the Dark Elves.
Thangrineth did not spare her a single gaze, only had the forest before her eyes. It would at least protect them against the arrows; several impacts on her back told her that the knapsack had been hit. Luck would not stay with them for very much longer.
The Dark Elves rushed through the undergrowth, between the warding trees without stopping. As it buzzed darkly above them, they halted and jumped back simultaneously.
In front of them, the earth was struck by a rock of four steps in length and two in width that fell two trees, rolled a small distance until it lay still. Leaves and branches dropped around them, dirt flew up. From the wounds of the wood rose the scent of fresh earth and resin.
Thangrineth wondered with what constructions the Galran Unuk had equipped his fortress that he was able to hurl such weights over this incredible distance.
»Forward!«, she said gasping and turned to her left, past a pile of unearthed roots.
A bright light, a hiss and then a burning sack hit the crowns of the trees, shattered and brought a rain of liquid fire. Instantly it became as bright as day and scorching hot.
»By the Powers!«, Cadhalor called, brought himself with quick jumps to safety and disappeared from her field of sight.
The flames blinded Thangrineth and she sought salvation in the other direction.
While she was running, she saw ever more petroleum vessels flying above her. The men of the fortress pursued a simple aim: They cut off the escape and rather burned down the entire forest along with the intruders and their prize, instead of granting them a successful raid.
Finally a dark hole emerged before her, the salving cave was in reach.
»It is me, Thangrineth!«, she called out against the tremor, so that Inúr knew that it was her, who entered. By the buzzing that came from above her, she knew that one of the immense stones were descending. Out of the full run she squeezed herself through the narrow entrance.
Then the dull, loud clash followed, dirt fell from the ceiling and the ground was shaking under the impact. Would she have required a little longer, she would have found her grave beneath the rock.
Heavily breathing she sat down on the ground, as another strike came down above them. Smaller rocks fell on her, a quiet crunching noise rung up. The hide-out had been hit again.
»What is happening out there?«, she heard Inúr asking, who ducked on a slim ledge by the entrance. In her right she held an arrow, in her left a dagger. The heel of her boot was missing as if it had been ripped off. Thangrineth discovered it and the water skin on the floor.
»Silence!«, she snapped at her and held the stolen spear ready. Still the Dark Elf saw the hallucinations before her, the flaming arrows that she had held for stars. She blamed the goblins' poison and prayed to the Powers that they would protect her from further spells like that one.
A shadow approached. Cadhalor squeezed through the entrance.
Too bad. Thangrineth perceived by the Elf's attire that it had been a close call. His armor and clothes showed signs of burns. He must have ran literally through fire to get to the cave.
The incendiary smell and the smoke became stronger, the wind blew little sparks to them. The rustling of the fire came closer and got louder.
»We cannot remain here.« Cadhalor coughed. »There is only a slim path left that does not burn. If we do not instantly ...«
Another impact shook the cave, as if the men of the fortress would know where they were. This time the steed neighed and scraped its hooves over the ground; its tail was whipping from side to side. Cadhalor tried to calm the beast, as a forth rock hailed upon their hide-out.
Parts of the ceiling collapsed, a blue and grey dust cloud rose up and robbed Thangrineth of her vision so that she could not see the part of the cave where her companion and his mount were standing. Let him already be hit, she prayed in thoughts.
»It is me, divine lord and lady«, suddenly the Obbôna called as she tried to gain entrance. »Kajara!«
In this very moment, a petroleum projectile struck the rock wall above her and a burning waterfall cascaded down upon her.
With a scream like Thangrineth had never heard from any being, she ran through the fire and rolled about on the ground. Burning drops of petroleum flew about, smoldering pieces of cloth levitated through the air. Crying in agony she was able to undo the fire, lay still while her body was giving off clouds of smoke. The scent of burned flesh hung in the air.
Thangrineth looked towards the entrance where the light still increased in strength. A blazing, bur harmless little river dripped into the cave. Soon the shine of solitary flames was being outdone by an all illuminating inferno. The entire forest was set aflame. A hot wind blew inside and made breathing arduous.
She moved around the Obbôna and looked outside. What became of the flesh-thief and her companion in the back of the cave was of no concern to her.
The flames danced, turned around one another and struck eighty, nighty steps into the night-sky, as if it attempted to lit the firmament. The cracking, sizzling, hissing became ever louder, the ground was a solitary sea of bright and dark red fire. Another sight that she would never forget. Today she had been richly gifted. But now she had to manage surviving the inferno from which there seemingly was no escape. The world was burning to ashes.
Smoke and hot winds forced her to look away.
»We must shut the entrance with the rocks that fell«, Cadhalor said next to her. »Otherwise the blazing air will drive within and bake us alive like breads.« He had new scratches in his face, was covered in dirt and dust - but he was still alive!
Thangrineth saw the dust enfolded Inúr sitting on the floor, legs pulled tight to her body; she coughed and held her sleeve before mouth and nose. The Obbôna still lay on the ground. The nightmarish steed of Cadhalor seemed to despise her flesh.
Seems as if you are truly blessed. Thangrineth nodded and helped Cadhalor to close the gap. But soon also that will change.
They worked fast to prevent that the air got any worse. The small petroleum river on the floor served them with light. As soon as they were done, they sat down, shared water from Cadhalor's water skin and listened to the impacts. The bombardment still continued, but the mighty rocks were no longer fired into their direction.
It became warmer and stuffier, Thangrineth began to sweat. The stallion was huffing without end, all attempts of Cadhalor to calm it were fruitless. Inúr did not dare to speak to them.
Thangrineth used the opportunity to take a look at her knapsack. The parchment had a hole, but wasn't burned, the crown was unharmed. A sting in her right hand brought her to inhale deeply. Her fingers tickled and lost for a few moments their power. More harbingers of the poison!
»Everything is here«, she let known. »Do you have the head of the misshapen bastard?«
»No.«
»What?« Thangrineth jumped to her feet, held the rucksack indicting before her. »We were supposed to bring Munugash the head!«
»There was no time.«
»But that was the third requirement to gain the antidote!«
»We had to flee from the fortress, because I could not have done anything against the horde that descended upon us«, Cadhalor gave back and his voice cut like a knife. »I could not count for your help after all.«
»You dare rebuke me for having killed the Galran Unuk?«, she answered with the same sharpness. »You carry the fault that we haven't taken the head.«
»Because I had to take care of you. We will be able to talk Munugash into handing us the antidote.« Cadhalor sounded very certain.
»The Galran Unuk lay dead in the corner! How could you ...«
»Stop it already!« Cadhalor gave her an icy look. »There was no other possibility to save us. Not at last because of your state. Every bit of more time would have become our undoing.«
»Only because you manage to jump away from death every time, it does not mean that it must continue that way«, Thangrineth said mordant and threw the knapsack to the ground. She would not be blamed for what happened. »What do we do if Munugash is not agreeing to what we present him?«
»He will agree.«
»I do not trust on that.« It did not take her much time to decide what was right. »Take the rucksack and go to the ugliest of all goblins. I will make my way alone to the being.« She was forced to cough.
Cadhalor stared at her. »Has the Galran Unuk's powers robbed you of your mind? You carry a poison within you that will let you die by half of the way.«
»It has not been said for certain that the venom must bring death«, she held against that and spoke loudly to overcome her own doubts. »Munugash could have lied to us. And he could let you and me be killed as soon as he has the parchment that is damaged and the crown without the head. You cannot fight against hundred goblins and more, despite your blessing. You do not have as many arrows. They will throw themselves on you and turn your blood into poison.« She laid the spear over her knees. »Not with me. As soon as the firestorm has died outside and the earth cooled down, I will head north-east.«
»Then our ways will part here«, Cadhalor said clearly. He did not try to change her mind. »Your decision will cost you your life. But I will bury your corpse when I ride past it later.«
Thangrineth could not help a small startle as the Obbôna suddenly groaned and pushed herself up with shaking arms.
She moaned in pain and looked at her burned hands, touched her face and screamed up. The false ears were becoming ash beneath her touch. Screeching pleading for water, she got up and walked helplessly about.
»Ah, look at that. Should the Powers be with you, Cadhalor, you will still be able to move the flesh-thief to complete the parchment for you. In case she is able to hold a quill«, sounded Thangrineth's scoffing remark. »The cleansing fire has given you back your old hide, Obbôna. You will not expect any of us to feel mercy for you?« She pushed the woman with the blunt end of the spear away from her so that she would not be touched. Next to Inúr's water skin she fell down; greedily she took hold of it and drank the water. While doing so, she shed tears of agony.
Thangrineth would have loved to pierce her heart with her spear and tossed her out into the inferno, to have the fire end her work. As her fingers strode over an elevation on the weapon's shaft, she examined the arm more closely.
Next to dwarvish runes, she could make out a opening at the blunt end, as large as a thumb, a trigger. When she pressed down on the elevation, she could hear a hissing sound from the tip. After a long look she saw a fine little hole, not larger than the eye of a needle.
Thangrineth grasped the meaning instantly: If she pierced a foe with this weapon and then tapped the mechanism, the thrust of air would destroy the enemy's inner. No one survived an attack with this spear!
She had to acknowledge the Galran Unuk's ingenious spirit. Though it may have been also that the master of the fortress had stolen this token from someone else. It was all the same to Thangrineth. Now this wonderful weapon belonged to her.
A solitary, quiet splash rung up.
They heard it and hearkened attentively.
The noise of a falling drop repeated itself. The frequency of them became shorter and shorter, until it had become a fine jet.
»Do you know what that means?« Thangrineth hurried to the cave's exit and threw a few rocks aside; instantly white clouds of steam rushed inside that smelled of smoke. The rushing and the loud drops told them: It poured from the sky! The heavy rain had undone the fire's reign.
Thangrineth beamed. Best preconditions to escape from the henchmen of the Galran Unuk. His men would surely seek for their remains and open a hunt if they did not find anything. She enlarged the gap so that she could crawl out.
»I thank you, Winds of the East!«, she called out and bowed. »The power of balance is with me!«
»You really want to leave?« Cadhalor came up to her, his worried face was hard to make out within the steam. »Remember ...«
»You and your women I wish that Munugash has a good day when you come before him.« She shouldered the spear. »I will reach the being before you, Cadhalor. I promise you even, that we will meet again alive.« Thangrineth enjoyed this way of saying her farewell and to revile her opponent with her certainty. »I swear that you will serve me. In my army that I will lead against all enemies of our kind. Do not think anything of your blessing. You will be forgotten, I will be celebrated by the Dark Elves. The Conclave will touch me with their divinity and make me their highest general.« Quickly she strode off to not give Cadhalor a chance to retaliate in any way. Such a speech should not be lessened.
With haste the ambitious Dark Elf hurried through the clouds of steam.
