Return to Middle Earth

A woman emerged from another tent in the camp. She wore a black tunic and breaches and knee high black boots. "Hold Malaki. The master wishes the ceremony performed before him. He and he alone wishes to have all three keys bound to him." in her hand she held a black orb. Malaki looked at the woman his eyes narrowing, the flash of anger in them. But he nodded his head. "He has sent his fastest flyers to take him and the key back to the Valley along with me." she grinned and one could tell there was a hatred between the two.

Seadron continued to hold her. "You rest. I am sure he is alright." He wondered if the people of these lands had any form of wizard. One that could scry and see what was happening to her brother. Human wizards were few, they did not have the ability to control magic as the elves did. With the elves gone, it seemed magic in the world of humans would fade away and leave them to the mercy of such evils as what seemed to be going on.

"Don't worry about it. We have plenty of time to enjoy each other. You just relax. He laid there with her in his arms and tried to relax himself. In the morning they would seek out the hermit and also see if there were anyone around that knew magic that could cast a scrying spell.

Night had fallen when the flyers arrived. They looked to be a cross of a lion, scorpion and bat. It had the body of a lion, but much larger and a head of a lion, but the tail of a scorpion and bat like wings. The camp was struck and Eladric was placed on one. The woman mounted up behind him and made sure he was straped in to the saddle as well as tied to it so he could not try to escape. Once everyone was mounted up they took to the air. "We will be at the valley in a foruth of the time it would take to ride." she told Eladric.

He was still confused about the whole thing. The sword he had been given many years ago in a ceremony was some kind of key. But a key to what and why did these people want it.

He felt her breathing change and knew she had fallen asleep. He tried to relax himself so he could also fall asleep. He was not that tired yet so it took him some time to begin dozing off. When he did he heard Sabe call out in her sleep. It seemed her dreams were troubled. He pulled her naked body closer and held her and spoke in a whisper to her comforting words, in hope that they would help her mind rest and be reasured that things were alright. A little later he fell asleep and did not awake until the first rays of the sun rose over the distant horizon.

Now they could go and find out what they could. They would have to aquire a boat to sail out the mile or so to the island that the man had spoken of and then find him. He gently shook Sabe and patted her ass with a hand. "Time to get up."

Seadron got up and cleaned up before dressing and putting on his mitheral chain armor. He strapped his sword on and made sure his bow was strung and slung the quiver of arrows across his back. He waited for Sabe to dress and then took her by the hand and lead her down to the street.

Finding a boat was not a problem. There were many fishing boats about as well as those that sailed the lake to the other side. But they did not have to even rent one for as they were talking to the owner of one, suddenly everyone became quiet. Seadron turned and looked and saw a man with pure white long hair and beard, dressed in a white robe emerge from a boat. People stood and stared at the man, surprise written all over their faces. The man walked towards Sabe and Seadron, his pure white staff making a slight tapping sound on the wooden dock.

When he reached them he stopped. He did not look old. His face was not wrinkled or showed the signs of aging. He looked as if he might be in his fourties perhaps, which was not that old for a human. "I have been expecting you." he told Seadron and Sabe. "Come with me and I will explain, and do not worry about your brother, he is on his way, though not of his choosing."

The old man looked at Sabe and smiled. "There is much in this world you do not know of or understand. But I shall try and explain some of it to you both." People cleared away as the man in white walked across the Dock to the warf and street. Seadron took Sabe by the arm and followed the man. "Long ago when man was but in his infancy, had no knowledge of farming, building, making steel weapons or could even conceive anything like magic, a great fire fell from the sky." He began.

The fire was not just fire but a great piece of strange stone. It hit near a tribe of primative man. It hit the earth with a thundrous roar and flash of light. From that day forward the women of the tribe bore children that were different then they were. Not in appearance but up here." he pointed to his head. "When they grew older, they could do things, move objects that were at a distance, lift themselves into the air, talk with each other with out speaking. They could change matter into what ever they wanted and much more. They were more inteligent then their parents."

As they grew thier powers were tamed and they began teaching others that had come after them along with other tribes how to farm, to build structures, how to mine metals and make tools. They altered the minds of man some so they could learn more and think of how to better themselves. But they saw how man was greedy and wanted to have more then they even needed. They made weapons of the metals they mined instead of tools and made war upon each other." As he walked he looked back at Seadron and then Sabe.

"The children, or anchients as they eventually became to be known, did not like what man had become. They left the humans to their folly and moved away to another land. Here they created.........." he smiled, "The Elven Race. A race of people that was dedicated to knowledge and learning. But they had to be able to protect themselves and so were taught the ways of fighting with sword and bow. But the Elves were more self controled then humans. Over the centuries, the Ancients taught the Elves magic, as it was soon called. Finally they were ready to be sent forth and try to help mankind to find themselves, to help control thier greed and desire for violance.

So they came to Middle Earth from their Islands of Birth to the West. They Built the Haven and then went out among the humans to help build a better world. At first it seemed to work well and mankind was lifted further out of its darkness. But it seemed that the powers to be, that were even more powerful then the ancients wanted something else.

One of the ancients, more powerful then most of them felt that they needed to rule over the humans and elves as gods. To have man and elves worship them as gods. A great battle between the ancients and the young ancient ensued in a valley that is not to far from here. He was defeated but at a great cost. Many of the ancients died in the battle and though the body of the evil ancient one was destroyed his essance permated the valley.

Two elven brothers entered the valley unaware of what was there and the evil there transformed them into creatures of evil. Sauron left and I believe you know his history. His brother Huron remained and built a Cidadal of Evil within the valley and created a vast army of undead creatures from the humans that dwelt in the land.

The ancients seeing how thier interfernce in the way of mankind had always seem to lead to disaster pulled away from this world into another they created for themselves. But one stayed and gathered an army of humans. In a great battle in the valley Huron was defeated, but Stephan the ancient was trapped with Huron in a prison of sorts. Three keys were formed from the magic that had been unleashed there. One a sword, one a shield, and the third a staff. " He smiled again

All three keys were taken away and their wearabouts hidden. If the three keys were united in the valley the prison would be open and Huron again would be free. Mankind is not ready for such an evil again. He like his brother would rule the world, plunge it into darkness and evil. His minions that were not trapped within the citadal of evil search for the keys to free thier master and his army of undead.

There are those of his followers that have rediscovered the means to create undead, but it is a slow process and they do not have the means to create the army Huron created." he stopped and turned to face both Seadron and Sabe. "Your arrival here was foretold long ago. The fate of mankind rests with you." He lifted the staff in both hands and handed it to Sabe. "Take this. For it was destined for you as the sword was destined for your brother."

He chanted a few words in a language unheard of for centuries. "It is now bound to you. Your brother will be arriving soon, his captors I think are in for a bit of a surprise."


Far above the lake the strange flying creatures carried Eladric, the woman, and Malaki and two others were attacked by great eagles. Eladric took the distraction of the attack to slip a belt buckle knife from his belt and cut his bonds on his wrists. Once that was done he grabbed the reigns of the creature and fought for control of them from the woman. This caused the creature to dive, twist and turn. It hit the water hard disloging the woman and Eladric. The woman was knocked unconscience and would have drown if Eladric had not for some reason pulled her to the surface and swam to shore with her. He retrieved his sword from her, and breathing hard from the exertion, he looked down upon her. He smiled and shook his head. She was beautiful, but she was his enemy. Why he had saved her he had no idea, but he just could not let her drown. He left her there on the beach and began walking.

He looked at Sabe and nodded his head sadly. "Yes they did run away. They put things into motion but did not stay to rectify their mistakes." he said sadly. When she aked why he was giving her the staff, claiming she was nothing special, he shook his head. "It was foretold long ago, by one of the ancients that you two would come and that a third would bring the sword.

But how things work out is up to the two of you and your brother. The time now draws near. The Sword and Staff will be reunited and the Shield must be found and brought to them. But that is not all my young ones. The means to defeat Huron must be found. With his destruction so shall the undead he created be destroyed. He is their source of life. Seek the stone that fell from the sky. It may have the power to destroy him. But should his followers find it and recover all three keys, then Stephan will be destroyed and Huron will be unstopable."

When he was done talking he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Your brother should arrive in the town shortly. The Dark Riders will be coming also to try and reclaim the sword." he then turned and began walking back to the boat that had brought him to the docks. "The fate of the world lies within your hands young ones."

The man stopped and turned his head at her question. "Then the world will be plunged into a darkness and evil a hundred times worse then what Suron began. You think your slavery was horrible, you can not imagine what it will be like under Huron, should you live. Seek the Shield and the stone. There are those that will follow you, even to the depths of Hell itself." he paused a moment.

"If four young and niaeve Hobbits could inspire man, dwarf, and elf to save their world, can you not do the same?"

Seadron nodded his head. Indeed the four Hobbits had great deeds. Deeds that man, elf and dwarf thought impossible. Their courage, determination had won the day for Middle Earth. They proved that if you belived, you could accomplish the impossible. "Come Sabe. Lets go find your brother. I do not think it will be hard to find him."

Seadron walked towards the southern gate of the port town. He assumed from what the man had said that her brother had some how got mixed up with those he called dark riders, and that they would be heading to the valley which was some where north of the inland sea. That meant that they would be coming basicly the same way Sabe and he had come but from a bit further south. If he escaped them, he would be coming to the southern gate. At least he hoped his assumtions were right.

Eladric walked what he felt was miles. It seemed that the great eagles had kept the others busy. For he did not see no sign of the others and their flying mounts. He found a road and followed it. It soon came to a good sized town that lay on the shore of the inland sea. He thought a good hot bath and a hot meal would do him good. The strange people that had captured him had not taken his gold away from him, just his sword, and that he now had back.

Marla awoke on the beach and cursed as she looked around and did not see the half elf nor his sword. She stood and shook her head. They had hit the water some distance out. The way she had been laying, she doubted she had washed up on shore. The Half Elf had drug her to shore. She owed him her life. "Now why would he have saved me?" she asked herself, "I would have left my captor to drown." She knew that the port was not to far away and that more then likely that was where he would make for. So she began walking.

"He will be fine. That I am sure of." Seadron told her. The gate was in sight. They would wait there to see if her borther showed up. Seadron stopped his hand on his sword as the voice of a man called out Sabe's name. He turned his eyes narrowing. He saw a man on a horse following them. He looked the man up and down.

Without looking at Sabe, he asked, "Do you know him?" If he was someone that would do her harm he would not live long.

Eladric approached the gate. He was tired, his legs sore from walking and his body acked from hitting the water. The guards there just looked him over, raising a brow at his pointed ears, but not thinking him a problem. When he entered the town he looked around. He needed an Inn with a bath and tavern attached so he could get food and drink. He stopped in mid stride and looked hard up ahead. He thought he would never see his sister again. She had disapeared some time ago and he had not heard from her. Standing next to her was another sight he thought he would never see again. A full blooded elf. Trust his sister to find someone like that, he thought. They both stood in the road with a human on horseback before them. His hand went to his sword as he sped his pace up to come up behind his sister and the elf.

Eladric swept his sister up into his arms and spun her around. He laughed as he said, "I am fine, but what are you doing here? What have you been up to since we seen each other last?" It had been a long time, sometime after Suron's defeat.

From the way Sabe acted, she knew the human and was not worried about him. She introduced him to Darious and he shook the man's hand. It seemed it was a time for reunions, for at that time her brother showed up and she ran to him. He watched as they huged each other and her brother swung her around.


"There are those that will follow you, even to hell itself." the words of the man in white came back to Seadron. He looked at Sabe's brother, and at Darious. The man seemed to know alot.

Eladric looked at his sister and then at Seadron. "I thought all the full blooded elves left." he said as he put her down on her feet once more. He moved forward to Seadron and Darious with his sister. "Are there more of you returned or is it just you?" he asked Seadron.

"Just a few of us. The rest feel that their presence here is not needed anymore." From what he had learned from the man in white, it looked as if his kind was following in the footsteps of their creators, the Ancients. They had been created to help mankind, to guide them, advise them. But they had withdrawn into their small enclaves abandoning mankind. It was two of their kind that had brought grief and missery to the world. The elders knew it and said nothing. They fought with the humans against Sauron but said nothing of who he was.

Now another that had begun to spread an evil might be brought back. Already his minions scoured the land for the keys that would free him. They held two of them and the third was close by. The other piece of the puzzle was somewhere but no one knew where. The Stone that fell from the sky.

He took Eladric's outstreached hand. "We have much to talk about." he turned to Darious. "I think you should also come with us. For I feel fate has brought us all together." He slipped an arm about Sabe's waist which raised a borw on Eladric, and a grin on his lips. He took the small group to the closest tavern. It seemed word had spread through the town that an elf was there. People nodded their heads to him as he passed and to the half elves as well. Their meeting with the man in white was also probably the talk of the town. Seadron had a feeling that the hermit was one that did not come to town and his presence there ment that Seadron and Sabe were there to help with the evil things going on.

Once seated at a table far from prying ears, Seadron explained to Eladric and Darious. "It seems that you two are now apart of this."

Eladric shugged his shoulders. "After the battle at Gondor and the Gates of Mordor I traveled south into the lands where the Black Pirates were suppose to come around. Spent a number of years down there. Did a little mercenary work to help some people out, got rid of a warlord that was making their lives miserable, helped finish getting rid of the Black Pirates and setting a prince on his throne. Did a few other things and moved my way back north." he grinned. "He had made a name for himself down south and if he wanted he could return there and have almost anything he wanted.

"From what Seadron has explained, it sounds like this something that I am well suited for." he took a sip of his drink. "Now it is your turn dear sister. What have you been up to all these years. How did you and Seadron meet?"

Eladric's eyes narrowed as she told him of what their father had done. One could see the anger and desire to kill the man in his eyes. But the man had to be very old now. For Sabe and Eladric to be as old as they were, and their father human and mother elven, he was either already dead, or near death. Seadron could understand Eladric's anger. He himself would not mind thrusting the blade of his sword through the man.

Eladric looked over at Seadron, "I thank you for saving my sister." he could see by the way she smiled that Seadron was more then just a friend. This warmed his heart, for he wanted his sister to have someone that would take care of her and look after her. He was what he would call an adventurer and probably would not stay long in one place.

"So where do we start looking for this third piece?" he asked.

"The mountains near by is where we were told." Seadron told him.