The air is so brittle it could snap, and if it doesn't, Talion might. No one speaks; what is there to say? A former Nazgul necromancer who just so happens to be able to cheat his own death at any corner would most probably shock anybody, especially if the previously mentioned Black Rider is casually walking through the Resistance encampment as if he didn't just walk out of his own grave. This goes double for those who knew him before this... predicament.
Baranor just stood still, eyes wide and mouth open, transfixed upon the Nazgul. Talion understood. Very few dared to look into his pale face, and even fewer dared to glance into his fiery green eyes, fearing the magic within them. But as much as he tried, he couldn't completely bring himself to stand it. This feeling only intensified when he saw who they had managed to capture.
"...boss?"
"How did you manage to get captured this time, Muzglog?"
Despite almost whispering, Talion's voice seemed to boom with its layered, corrupted texture, penetrating every obstacle, inanimate or otherwise. This, however, made Muzglog happier than anything.
"Boss! You're alive!... I think..."
Despite Talion doing his best not to, an amused smirk appeared on his face as he got on one knee to be on the same eye level as his bound follower.
"How did you end up here?"
The fact that Talion relaxed a little seemed to fill the Uruk captain with pride as he straightened out as much as his bonds allowed.
"We've been holding Mordor so far, only losing Dol-Guldur to the Dark Lord, but the rest is still loyal to you."
Talion frowned at Muzglog, making him shrink down under his impatient glare.
"Did you go deaf since the last time I saw you, or have I not been asking the same question repeatedly?"
"Sorry, boss, it's just that... well... I... might have tripped..."
"Tripped?"
"Yeah, tripped..."
"You don't sound convinced of the story yourself."
Muzglog's face reddened a little as he looked embarrassedly at the ground.
"Well... it wasn't quite a trip, more like a fall..."
"A fall, you say..."
"Morelikeathrow... No, because I was doing a vault over one of the Tarks, you see, big as a mountain, with a head bigger than an Olog, I tell you, and I was..."
"Muzglog, just... stop. You are a terrible liar. You don't have to tell me if you truly don't want to, even though I would argue that you'd still retain the title of the Acrobat even if your fall wasn't on purpose."
"Sorry, boss."
"Don't be, there's no reason for it. Now, let us free you from this predicament, shall we?"
Talion got up from the ground, intending to untie Muzglog, only to immediately freeze in his tracks. Voices... no, not just any voices... Three distinct voices engaged in a heated argument on enemies, getting ever closer to the tent where Talion and Muzglog resided.
"...and how can you be so sure about that?! What if he used some kind of magic to look like him? Have you even thought of..."
"Think of what exactly? It's Talion we're talking about!"
"Boss?"
Talion gave Muzglog a reassuring look as he shushed him down.
"That's okay. Just wait."
YOU ARE READING
Kingdom of the fallen
Fanfiction***UNDER EDITTING*** As a ranger of Gondor, Talion was slaughtered on the Black Gate with everyone he ever loved. However, Talion did not find peace in death. He was cursed, and resurrected, by a powerful wraith Celebrimbor, who reforged him into an...
