Revenge

Chapter 2

Day 4

"I never saw anyone!" Pak'na cried as his body was stretched in the most excruciatingly painful ways. His wrists and ankles were bound tightly with leather straps and he had been laid on a grated rack.

"You took orders from someone you’d never seen?" Aldamir asked, his eyes narrowed with disbelief.

"Yes!" Pak’na hissed through gritted teeth.

"You lie!" Aldamir raised his hand and Pak'n bod body was stretched to the breaking point.

Before bone began to snap, one of his men called from the corner. "He was covered in shadow. He only met with us at night. His voice - " The man trembled from the thought, "sent chills down our spines."

Aragorn stalked toward the man shackled to the wall. "And what were you promised as a reward for removing myself and my wife from our kingdom?"

"Riches, Land, Slaves?" Aldamir asked, stepping beside Aragorn.

The man lowered his head. "I cannot. He will know I have spoken. Please, just- end my life."

"Not until I have the information that I require." Aragorn growled, drawing his elven knife. "Now speak!"

"He - he spoke with a malice and a coldness that would make even the coldest place in Middle-Earth seem like a volcanic wasteland." The man said slowly. His eyes darted around the room, as if he expected something to leap out of the shadows and eat him alive. "I could hear and feel a whoosh of air, like wings flapping in the darkness. The movement was steady while that - voice gave us our orders."

Aragorn nodded to the guard inflicting the pain on their leader. Pak'na was removed from the rack and led toward the shackles near where his man was speaking.

"Then-then when we turned to leave, these large eyes appeared out of the shadows and a-a large clawed hand picked up one of the men and crushed its throat without any effort."

The men visibly trembled as they remembered their comrade’s death with vivid clarity . “The creature killed Mar’m without any thought or reason.”

“To show us what would happen if we betrayed him.” Pak’na finished. “You may as well kill us. He will come for us now and he will not be merciful in his judgment.”

“What is to be done with you will be my decision, and mine alone,” Aragorn growled, turned on his heel and strode purposely out of the dungeon.


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Day 6


“We’ve found nothing in our search.” Aldamir strode into the King’s office several days later, clearly agitated at his failure to apprehend the men responsible for the attack on the King and his Queen. “This foe could not have simply vanished into thin air.”

Aragorn sighed and sealed the envelope with a stamp of heated wax. He offered the letter to the messengers that stood beside the desk and issued his orders. “Ride with haste back to Gondor and der thr this into the hands of the Steward of Ithilian.” He turned to the two royal guards that were to serve as escort to the messenger. “One of you ride to Gondor, the other is to stop in Lorien and bring this message,” He handed over another piece of parchment, on which was scribed the language of the elves, and sealed with the waxed stamp of the house of Elrond, “to Lord Celeborn.”

With a respectful bow, the guards left Aldamir and Aragorn alone in the spacious office.

“Arwen tires of being sequestered within these walls.” Aragorn sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. “I don’t blame her. It is not the way of her people, to be confined in such a way.”

“Her protection, as well as yours, are of our utmost concern.” Aldamir began. “If she would like to go for a walk, I will send a detachment of guards with her.”

“It will not rid her of the feeling of being trapped in her own home.” Aragorn smiled slightly. “I need to get her back to Gondor.”

Ald’s e’s eyes flashed. “Think you that we are unable to protect the Queen?”

Aragorn stood quickly and sighed. “Not at all, my friend. There are more men in Gondor and therefore more protection afforded her safety.” Aragorn clasped his friend on the shoulder. “You have a great deal of men searching for these evil beings. That leaves half here to defend the city should it come under attack. There are simply more resources set up in Gondor for the eventuality of a strike against the city.”

“What a better place to strike than the fledgling sister city of the great Gondor.” Aldamir growled. “I suppose we should feel honored to receive such a threat – and while you are visiting no less.”

“Most likely planned with the knowledge that we would be here.” Aragorn sighed. He did not want to fight with Aldamir, but he knew that his words had been a bit more stinging than intended. Aragorn did not want his friend and cousin to feel in any way that he had done a poor job in the rebuilding of the City. Before he could voice that concern, a loud crash echoed through the halls followed by screams of terror. Aragorn and Aldamir glanced at one another before drawing their blades and rushing out of the King’s office.

Royal guards led the way toward the dungeons and to the source of the sounds. The dungeon-keeper bounded out of the dungeons, clutching at the side of his face, which had been ripped open. Blood spurted from between his fingers and Aragorn called for the healers. “Get him to the houses of healing! I must know what happened here!”

Aragorn turned wild eyes on the Captain of the guard. “Be sure my wife is well protected!”

They descended the stairs, more guards joining as they reached the depths of the dungeons. The scent of blood and death was everywhere. The moans of the injured and dying carried up the stone steps, sent tremors of fear through the descending soldiers.

The steel bars surrounding the cell in which Pak’na and his men were kept, had been bent apart and tossed aside as if they were no heavier than a piece of clothing.
Aragorn winced and groaned in disgust as he nearly tripped over a leg near the front of the cell.

Whatever had infiltrated the dungeons had enough strength to rend these men limb from limb. Pak’na was slumped in the back of the cell, lips quivering, eyes staring straight, unseeing, as Aragorn approached.

The King knelt beside the man as the royal guard surrounded the area in an attempt to protect the King from whatever had done this to these prisoners.

“Who has done this?”

Pak’na didn’t answer. Simply stared, unblinking. He clutched at his arm, and only when Aragorn looked down, did he realize it was missing. Bloody marks adorned his chest in the shape of a large claw, releasing even more warm blood.

“Pak’na!” Aragorn hissed. “Who has done this?”

Painful whimpering was his only answer.

Aragorn gripped the clothing that had been shredded at the man’s shoulder and jerked him upright. “You must tell me!”

“T-told you he – he would come,” Pakna mumbled. Blood dripped from his lips as he spoke.

“Who?” Aragorn demanded. “What form of creature has done this to you?” he turned to Aldamir, “What form of creature could enter these dungeons unnoticed?”

“We are searching right now for – “

Pak’na slumped in Aragorn’s grasp as another scream emanated from far above. This same creature had apparently reached the higher levels of the castle – and that meant that it was far too close to the royal chambers for Aragorn’s liking.

The King muttered a string of curses in elvish before gaining his feet and rushing toward the stone steps.

Aldamir as well as the royal guard followed on his heels. As they ran, crumbling rock could be heard from above and large pieces of stone began to fall around them. Dust billowed around them, obscuring the large pieces of stone that fell from above.

“Something is bringing down the walls!” Aldamir gripped the King and pulled him toward the top of the stairs as more fragments of stone fell from above.

Several guards were caught beneath the falling rock and were crushed, but not before they pushed at their King to get him out of the way. Aragorn turned to grasp a hand as the body it was attached to fell beneath the heavy stone.

“No!” Aragorn cried, stopping in an attempt to free the trapped man.

“Aragorn. No!” Aldamir gripped his friend’s arms and pulled him away. “It’s too late!”

By the time they reached the top of the spiraling staircase, the path to the dungeon was completely blocked by debris. Those responsible for the collapse were nowhere to be seen and Aragorn turned sad but determined eyes on the guard that had escaped with their King.

“Get men down there to dig them out! Find out who has breeched these castle walls and –"

Another scream pierced their eardrums. This time it came from the direction of the King’s offices and throne room. Aragorn shot an exasperated look at Aldamir before gripping Anduril tightly in an already blood-covered hand and rushing toward the source of the piercing sound.

“Protect my wife!” Aragorn called behind him and several other guards pealed off and raced down the opposite hallway and toward the chambers Aragorn shared with his Queen.

When they reached the throne room, the place was a crumbled mess. Statues had been torn down and pieces of polished stone and marble lay in ruin at their feet. The guards normally stationed at the entrance to the great hall were dead, killed in much the same manner as those in the dungeons. With the exception of one small difference - they had been frozen before being violently torn apart.

Aragorn stared at the men for a long moment before Aldamir's hand on his shoulder pulled him from his disbelieving stuper.

The two men looked around the hall in complete disbelief. There was no sign of whoever had done this. They had gone, leaving utter destruction and death in their wake.

“Who has done this?” Aragorn seethed, eyes searching the ruins for some clue. As they walked slowly around the hall, a cry from the dais got their attention and two sets of eyes darted toward the sound.

Aragorn and Aldamir rushed toward the throne, gaping at the once ornate structure that had housed the crown of Arnor. The statue had been crushed and the mithril coronet was gone.

Aldamir’s eyes widened in horror as he realized what those responsible for this destruction had been looking for. “They’ve stolen it.”

Aragorn stared at Aldamir, disbelief written is his crystal eyes.

“What could someone possibly want with the Elendilmir?” Aldamir asked. “Even with the crown of Arnor, one could not possibly hope to usurp your rule. It would be a useless attempt.”

“I don’t know.” Aragorn answered, his mind racing to find an answer to what could possibly be the reason for this theft. A memory flashed in his mind and he gasped, startling Aldamir.

“What is it?” Aldamir stared at his King, making sure that he had not sustained any injuries.

“The old tale.” Aragorn whispered.

Aldamir stared at Aragorn.

Aragorn shook his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts and jog his memory. “The diamond- in the coronet was said to have some great power. But, whatever this power is,” Aragorn shrugged, “has fallen out of all knowledge; even the knowledge of the oldest elves. For it is from their records that I read of this rumored power.”

“If this thief has discovered the properties the diamond contains, that would not be good for Middle-Earth.” Aldamir whispered, low enough so that his voice would not carry to the four corners of the hall.

“It is doubtful these thieves-”

“I think it is highly possible that they know. Why else would they be so concerned with obtaining it?” Aldamir sighed.

“It’s worth.” Aragorn shrugged.

“Aragorn,” Aldamir stared incredulously at his King. “Even you would not be so foolish as to believe that greed has driven thieves to go to such lengths-”

“No,” Aragorn said softly. “I am more apt to believe that it was power that these thieves are after.”

“Then we must get the Elendilmir back before they discover its magical properties.” Aldamir stared at the statue that once contained the mithril coronet, now lying in ruins at their feet.

A movement in the far corner caught Aragorn's attention and he rushed over and fell to his knees. Dropping Anduril, he clawed with already bloodied hands at the crushed stone that covered the barely-conscious woman. She coughed and sputtered and was bloodied from the falling stone, but was otherwise unhurt. Her eyes were wide with fear and she was trembling.

"Lady!" Aragorn pulled the young woman into his arms and cradled her as best he could. "What did you see? Please, we must know. What did this?"

"It - it was terrible." The young maid trembled. "I-I will never sleep again. Never. It - it turned them to stone, the guards, with one look. It hissed at them with a foul and cold breath. I could feel it from across the room." She shivered in Aragorn's arms as Aldamir knelt to check her body for broken bones.

Aragorn exchanged a worried glance with Aldamir. "What kind of creature - "

A screeching pierced the air and suddenly, with perfect clarity, Aragorn knew what creature had invaded his city. Aldamir stared at his friend and King in disbelief as he, too, recognized the descriptions of the ancient creature the young maid was describing.

"Sweet Eru," Aragorn muttered as the woman mercifully passed out. "It can't be."

"It cannot be anything else. Not with that description." Aldamir said, glancing around at the room that lay in ruins at their feet.

"The dwarves will not be happy to have to return to rebuild this city." Aragorn chuckled, taking a quick moment to find amusement in the wake of such death and destruction. Glancing around, his expression turned solemn once again.

"We have not the strength to stop the destructive whims of a cold drake."

“Well it looks like we are going to have to find a way.” Aragorn rushed to one of the windows that had not been destroyed.

The slender, cylindrical body and wings of the drake were unmistakable as it flew toward the mountains and out of sight. People stood on the grounds below, shocked into immobility, their heads tilted toward the sky where the creature nearly blocked out the sun.

If they thought the Witch-King of Angmar and his devils were bad, facing down a nearly indestructible cold drake was going to be near impossible.

“What are we going to do?” Aldamir muttered in disbelief.