//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 The Messenger // Story: A horseshoe to rule them all // by Bronycommander //------------------------------// Chapter 8: The Messenger “We have defeated the Hammer of Sauron. But the Black Hand and the Tower remain.” Dinky heard Talion saying and the Elf replied, “And their master.” For some reason, she couldn’t help but look over the dead body of the so-called ‘Hammer.’ Something told her he had been different before and as she blinked, she gasped. The filly found herself in an empty field, hearing the screams of a wounded man and another voice. “Don't worry. We're here for you." Then she saw another man in shining armor, carrying a stretcher running towards the wounded and gently put him on it. “You’re going to be fine.” He spoke in a calming voice. As he turned around, Dinky could see his face. It was that of the Hammer, pure of evil. She could tell he was dedicated to retrieving the wounded, making her wonder what caused him to change. Blinking again, she saw him then exploring the slopes of a mountain, discovering the same hammer he had used in the battle. For some reason, she felt a strange aura around it. Suddenly, she saw how the Hammer was surrounded by other humans, all had mocking gazes “Weakling. Pathetic waste of life. A slave to the helpless, nursing the bruises and sores of fallen men. Never the soldier. Never the conqueror. Weak! Weak!” The man known as the hammer held his head in pain. “No! Stop it!” Upon grabbing it, a dark light engulfed him and he said, “I have wasted my life on saving others. For their scorn, for their weakness, I will give them only death!” Then a few of his comrades come behind him, seeing what happened to him. “Drop the hammer.” One of them said with concern in his face before the man faced them with a colorless face and blazing red eyes. They knew what's took him and reached for their swords but it was too late as he charged at them, killing them while laughing. Dinky blinked again and found herself back in reality, breathing heavily at what she had seen. “Are you okay?” Fletcher asked with worry. “I’m fine.” She replied before they moved out. Yet, the filly couldn’t help but feel sorry for the Hammer, he had been so kind and caring before his fall. Also, what refused to leave her mind, were his words regarding Talion. “T-Talion, is it true what he said about your family?” She asked, feeling bad about it. The Ranger sighed. “I suppose there's no more harm in saying it... The Black Gate is the most fortified and direct entrance to Mordor, made to prevent anything evil from leaving or entering Mordor. I was one of the men guarding it. The Uruks led by the Hammer and the other two Black Captains attacked, killing my wife and son in the process. They also killed me, but the curse was my salvation.” He told with a shaken voice. All ponies looked at him with sympathy. “Sorry to hear that.” Dinky lowered her head. The Ranger smiled weakly. “You couldn’t know that. Actually, you and your three young friends remind me of my son.” “We do?” Sweetie Belle asked in surprise. “Yes. He was just as brave and resourceful as your friends and as kind as you, Sweetie Belle.” “Glad to hear it. “She replied, blushing. “Sounds like he was a great son.” Midnight added and the Ranger nodded. They traveled for a while until they reached the camp, seeing several death Orcs scattered on the ground. “The smell of fresh meat always attracts the Scavengers.” They heard Lithariel’s voice from behind and turned around, seeing how she put her sword away. “And they tend to travel in packs. We should leave. Now.” Talion suggested as the woman picked up a bag from one of the dead Uruks. “The Queen will be pleased to see you.” She led them through an area with green grass which was a beautiful change for the three foals until she said, “We are here.” The came to a hill, overlooking a small town, the ponies looked in awe at it. Lithariel then led to the group down and through a gate and into a room. “Lady Marwen, Queen of the Shore.” She announced and the group looked at a haggard, old woman in decorated clothing, sitting on a throne, holding a staff. “Mother…” The younger woman gave her a drink before the Queen looked at Talion. “The fallen Ranger from the Black Gate. Come closer.” The Queen smiled and he did as told, the ponies bowed to show their respect. “It is an honor to meet you, your highness.” Midnight said and the woman made a gesture to rise. “Do not kowtow, creature of shadow. As I sit here, I am merely an old, sick woman in a broken kingdom.” “Your daughter claims you have something for me.” The Ranger pointed out. “Not for you, Talion.” She replied and threw some sand into a small fire, it became blue. “The hour grows late. Very soon the Dark Lord and his army will march over all of Mordor. But…a great power can be awakened to prevent it.” “Is that why I’m here?” He asked. “What kind of power?” Dinky asked curiously. “Breach into Morgoth's Scar. Take the Elven craftwork from the Ghûls. And find the…Dwarf.” The Queen explained as the fire became normal again and suddenly, her eyes struggled to stay open. Her daughter held her arm. “Stay strong, mother.” Talion then asked her, “What is your mother’s affliction?” “No one knows. She worsened after her travels.” She sounded worried. “Is there not medicine?” “Yes, there must be a way to help her. “Dinky added. “There was. But our camp was overrun.” Lithariel explained and walked away. The group then walked outside. “There’s a good chance we can pick up the Ghûls’ trail at that ransacked caravan we passed earlier by the ravine.” The Ranger suggested and the ponies nodded. For the foals and Knights, the Queen had made a wise impression, despite her age, reminding them of Celestia and Luna. “Nature thrives in Núrn. I never thought I’d see such live in Mordor.” Talion commented. “This is how the Dark Lord shall feed his armies.” The Elf replied. “So many dead Uruks. I must thank the Ghûls before I slaughter them.” “Ghûls are scavengers. They take all, but leave one thing behind.” The Wraith reminded as Talion and Dinky saw blue trails in the ground and followed them. It led them through the green landscape to a small wooden bridge to an elevation with a cave entrance. “That must be in. Stay quiet, we can’t afford to alert them.” The man said and the Knights nodded, letting the fillies climb on them and they sneaked through the cave. While the Ranger and Knights had no trouble, the foals trembled slightly at the sight of how many of those terrible creatures were there, until they came to what looked like a treasure room, seeing an ancient hammer lodged in the wall, covered in blood. Dinky saw Celebrimbor appearing once again as Talion looked at the hammer. “Made by the Dark Lord himself. And still covered in my family’s blood.” The man then yanked it out of the wall and screamed as he got engulfed in light again. This time, Dinky saw Celebrimbor as he was alive and forging a ring before he suddenly gasped. After blinking, she saw the figure in black Armor, holding the same ring in triumph, then the Elf again, together with a woman that looked similar to his wife. “We are betrayed. Its power blazes like a beacon and will bring ruin to all Middle-Earth.” The filly breathed heavily as it ended, seeing how Talion struggled to stand up before a growl was behind them. They turned around and saw a monstrous Ghul closing the Gate at the end of the room. “By Gondor, what is that creature?! Talion exclaimed as he reached for his sword. Fletcher fired two arrows at it, the Ghul got thrown back but recovered quickly and charged forward and spit green bile which Talion barely dodged. “Poison!” He then hit the Ghul with a strike and dodged quickly a counterattack. The Knights quickly acknowledged his tactic and hit the Ghul with their weapons and dodged it's counterstrike, confusing the Ghul. Normally, the children were scared by Ghûls, but they felt safe with the Eternal Knights and did kicks on their own when they got the chance. The Ranger and Knights also countered a few normal Ghûls. Their tactic seemed to work as the big Ghul’s attack became slowly, allowing Talion to ram his sword through its chest, killing it. “Let’s get out of here!” The other agreed and made their way through the now opened gate as the Ghûls started to swarm them. However, at the entrance, the Ghûls surrounded them and all looked around for a way out, the foals now looked frantically around. “Take cover!” Someone yelled and they saw a flaming barrel rolling towards them, the man and Knights made a dash for the entrance, the explosion threw them over. They all groaned as they got up, seeing a man. He was the shortest human they'd ever seen, at the most just under two-thirds as tall as Talion, but he clearly wasn't a child. Bristly sideburns enveloped his cheeks and his dirty but bright face was pitted with faint scars. His arms and shoulders were tattooed and his chest was bare but for a set of leather straps over each shoulder from which hung his intricate belt and baggy leather trousers, heavy metal manacles and boots protecting each of his forelimbs. His chestnut-brown hair was tied up in a topknot behind his head and his steely, thin, blue-grey eyes were possessed of a thirsty glint of excitement. “Pity to end your military career inside the belly of a Ghül, eh?” He spoke, his voice low and booming and possessed of a strange accent close to Equestria's Trottish as he emptied a pipe. “Or the life of children,” Fletcher added as he picked his bow up. “Thank you for your help, without you, we had probably died.” Apple Bloom smiled at him. “It’s nothing, young one. I’m Torvin, the beast hunter. And I bet then pints you just nabbed the treasure I was after.” He said with disappointment. “I’m pretty sure it wasn’t worth risking your life,” Wolf commented on it with a hint of relief in her voice. “Now, I am grateful for your assistance, but it does not grant you proprietary rights,” Talion replied to the hunter. Torvin smiled. “Keep it. I found something more valuable.” “And what would that be?” The ranger picked his sword up. “My new hunting partner.” The hunter pronounced. “What you hunt does not interest me, Master Dwarf.” Talion turned to leave but turned around as the man asked, “Plus, it could get too dangerous for us.” The white unicorn pointed out with fear. “Even if it leads you to the chisel that belongs to that hammer?” He then paused and walked closer to the Ranger. “Every creature got its lure, eh? Yours just happens to be, uh, very old.” He paused again. “Well, if the thrill of the hunt takes your fancy, my camp’s not far. Your friends are welcome to join too.” With that, he walked away, and Dinky saw the Ranger and Wraith looking at each other for a moment. “So, what do we now?” Apple Bloom asked the Gravewalker. “Report our discovery to the Queen.” And with that, they traveled back to the city. Once arrived, they saw how the elderly woman tried to grab a drink, Dinky lifted it up with her magic and Talion grabbed it, giving it to the queen. “Here.” The woman let out a sigh of relief and smiled at him. “Thank you.” “I found the mithril hammer.” He said to her and grabbed her staff. “Can your flames show me why my soul was denied death?” Lady Marwen took the staff and breathed deeply as the light around her went dark. “You, you are the victim of a blood sacrifice.” “Can the curse be broken?” He wanted to know, sounding hopeful and the flame became blue again. “Destroy the Black Hand and his followers and claim Mordor.” “No men of Gondor will come to my aid.” He replied and the queen chuckled. “You don’t need them. Your power begets followers, willing or otherwise. And you have your six allies.” “Indeed, Talion, we are with you.” Midnight sounded honest. “An Orc Army.” Celebrimbor figured out and the Ranger asked, “How? How do I do this?” “Yes, how can this be achieved?” Fletcher added to the question. “Your answers lie in a fortress nearby, but what you seek may not be there for much longer.” The queen answered and the man walked out, the ponies followed him without a word. It rained outside as the Wraith said, “Marwen’s decree was speed. The future must be met.” Upon arrival, they saw three soldiers tried up and on their knees. “It is not them what we seek but what they carry.” The Elf reminded Talion but he protested, “I will save then nonetheless.” “Don’t be blinded by your emotions.” The Wraith countered, “The Queen told our answers to building an Orc army lie within this fortress.” The Ranger then looked at the Archers in the towers. “If we brand those Archers, we can build our army and save these men at the same time.” “I agree, we must help them,” Dinky whispered, the others nodded. “Fletcher, can you get on the tower?” Talion pointed to the one in front of them. “No problem.” He teleported with Sweetie Belle and Dinky on it, Talion climbed it up to and sneaked behind the Archer. The man grabbed the Orc’s head, his hand glowed blue as he said, “You will is mine!” To the fascination of the ponies, Orc replied, “It is yours, Master.” And his eyes glowed blue, giving the stallion a quick salute. The foals and Knights came to realize, whatever Talion had done, the Archer was now their ally. The Ranger then quietly made his way to the other Arches and branded them too. He then raised his hand into the air and it glowed blue again. Fletcher noticed how the archer held his head for a second and took aim, the stallion took to and all archers fired at the same time at the Orcs below. “Backstabbers! We are betrayed! Kill the traitors!” The Orcs yelled as Talion, Midnight and Wolf joined the fight, overwhelming them in seconds. As Fletcher jumped down, Dinky yelled, behind you!” Seeing one Orc preparing to strike at the stallion, before he was killed by an arrow to the head from the Archer in the tower. “Nice shot!” Fletcher praised him as Talion freed the prisoners. “Did the Lady of the Shore send you to our aid?” One prisoner asked. “The Queen warned us to wait until the end of the battle, then the Orcs spotted us…” A second tried to explain before the first one cut him off. “I told you! Her visions always come to pass!” “Yes, but I told you no to…” The other argued before the Ranger held a hand up. “Do you have something for me?” He asked. “Queen Marwen sent us to find this…” The first prisoner gave him a small bag and he took out what looked like a crown and he screamed as the blue light appeared once again. Upon opening her eyes, Dinky saw the elf standing protectively in front of his family, drawing his bow and fired two arrows. They hit two Orcs into the head then he fought this way through hordes of them before the dark armored figure appeared in front of him. The Elf attacked the figure, but was beaten to the ground. After blinking, the filly saw how he was restrained, his family was led away and the figure said in a dark voice, “Take him to Mordor.” After finding herself in reality again, she heard the battle cries of Uruks and a large horde of them moved in. The Knights drew their weapons but Talion spotted a nest of Morgai Flies above it and shot it down, casing the Orcs to flee in terror, with the banded Archers picking them off as they fled. “Okay, that’s done. Shall we return to the Queen? It’s getting late.” Wolf noticed that despite the rain, it was getting evening. “I agree,” Talion replied and the foals nodded. On the way back, the grey unicorn heard him mumble, “It is one thing to kill theses Uruk, It is another to make them our followers.” “It is a gift. We can use the weapon of the enemy against him.” Celebrimbor pointed out. Back in the small, hidden city, they all had bread for dinner and the Knights tucked the children in. “Goodnight, Dinky, sweet dreams,” Fletcher said with a smile. “Night, Uncle.” The filly closed her eyes and was fast asleep. She wasn’t an expert in military things, but maybe, having an army of Orcs could help them get home faster.