The Other Ranger [ Lord Of The Rings x Silmarillion ]

Tower of Sorcery

The sun rose brightly on the morning of their first day of travel. Míril woke up beside Elrohir and let out a small sigh as she sat up, trying to straighten her hair a little with her fingers from the mess sleeping on it wet had caused. Elrohir smiled at her from where he lay back in the pillows.

"Good morning," he murmured, taking her free hand in his. "How did you sleep?"

How had she slept? Not well at all. Her dreams had yet again been plagued with nightmares of the Silmaril and two blue men with staves alongside a little girl.

"Fine." She lied to him, brushing off what had happened like it was nothing.

But he saw right through the lie and laughed humorlessly as he sat up alongside her. "I heard you tossing about. But if you do not want to tell me, that is your choice."

"Not right now, melda," she muttered. "Perhaps later."

Elrohir nodded and got up, slipping on the top part of his tunic. "Come. Time to get up. The sun will be rising soon and we need to get on the road."

"Elrohir, how are we going to get a pony through the pass of Cirith Ungol?" Míril asked, letting herself fall back against the pillows in exasperation. "How did we not think of this before?"

"I spoke to Faramir after you went to bed about just that," Elrohir told her. "He confided in me that there was another path we could take should we decide to take Bill with us all the way to Harad."

"Go on." Míril nodded to him as she pulled on her clothes for the day.

"There is a way through Minas Morgul that lets out into Mordor." Elrohir explained this to her with a warning. "But that place is still riddled with spells and curses that may hinder us."

Míril grimaced. "Still, I think that will be best. We will need a pack mule, or pony, to get to Harad through Mordor."

"That's what the rest of us thought as well," Elrohir nodded to her.

They packed their bags and walked out into the common room. A quick breakfast was waiting there for them as they joined Maglor. Elladan came out soon enough and within twenty minutes they were ready. It was just in time as the sun began to peep above the hills.

Each carried their saddle bags as they made their way to the stables. There they found Faramir and Eowyn alongside who the assumed was Bill the pony.

"Bill is laden with food, water, blankets, and extra clothes," Eowyn told them. "I double checked it myself."

Faramir continued for her. "It's enough to last you at least until you reach the mannish settlement in Nurn. Also we have provided you with much more coin and goods worth trading to the former slaves in Mordor so they will help you."

"Thank you, Faramir," Elladan said sincerely. "We are in your debt."

He shook his head. "I am merely helping ensure the safety of my King. Think nothing of it."

"Best get going," Maglor interrupted. "We need to cover a decent amount of ground today. We should try to reach Minas Morgul by this time two days from now."

"Agreed," Míril said with a nod. "Thank you again, Faramir, Eowyn."

"Take care," Eowyn offered them as they took hold of Bill's lead rope and left Emyn Arnen.

Míril smiled and waved back at Eowyn before finally setting her eyes on the road ahead. The journey had begun. There would be no Western civilization for at least another month and a half. They were on their own, with only the Valar to guide them.

The journey to Minas Morgul took two days and one night that they walked straight through. When they began to approach the cursed place, Míril could feel the hairs in her arms standing up. Despite having driven out the Nazgul months ago with the defeat of Sauron, the Tower of Sorcery still had an air of evil and darkness about it.

"There it is," Míril pointed to the large black fortress that sat at the foot of the mountains.

The three half elves remembered the last time they been here. Aragorn had been leading the men of Gondor to Mordor and destroyed the bridge. Fortunately there were several large boulders that had fallen into the through way from the earthquake. They'd managed to get across that way.

"As dark as ever," Elladan muttered, still looking at the Tower. "Nevertheless, we must pass this way if we are to complete our journey."

Maglor drew his sword, starting forward as they hung back. He held the sword in his left hand and let his burnt right one hang at his side. The others looked at each other and drew their own blades before hurrying behind him. Míril led Bill who was obviously frightened, yet the beast of burden did not turn aside, instead going adamantly alongside them.

Míril looked at the gargoyles that had fallen from the Tower in the earthquake. Their twisted tongues and piercing blank stares sent a chill down her spine. For a moment she thought about running.

But she kept going, stoutly leading Bill behind her. They passed through the gate and into the tower. Míril's legs felt like jelly and they almost gave way from the palpable fear around her. Had she been purely mortal, she would not have been able to withstand the fear and mind warping of the Tower of Sorcery.

Maglor continued to lead the way. Skeletons in torture chambers lined the hallways to every side. Giant machines run by fire and smoke that once turned and caused great pain to the Free Peoples now sat dormant without their masters. A sickly glow emanated from the stones as they walked out into a courtyard behind Minas Morgul.

Dead plants and dirt were all that made up the courtyard as it backed up to the Mountains. A large cave was at the other end. Presumably this was the way into Mordor that Faramir had spoken of.

Suddenly she heard a voice.

"Mir, I miss you."

Eldir? That was the voice of her brother. She whipped around and pointed her sword this way and that. How was Eldir speaking to her?

On the edge of hearing, she heard someone say, "Keep moving, Miril. Don't stop."

"Mir, why don't you answer me?"

"Eldir?" She whispered forlornly.

Again someone said, "Míril it's not real! Listen to my voice!"

"They are trying to take you away from me, Mir."

"Where are you, Eldir!" Míril called frantically. "Eldir, I'm sorry! I let Father die! I let you die! I am a failure!"

Suddenly Míril felt her sword wrenched from her grasp and someone grab her, arms behind her back. She kicked and screamed trying to get free but whoever held her was not letting go. All she screamed was the name of her brother as she was torn away from Minas Morgul and carried by force into the cavern.