Rising Of The Black Tide

Page 6

Gonifred robbed of all energy let his sword drop to the ground. Then a rumbling started from the deep and black smoke began to come from Mordorath’s body, there was a flash and then where Mordorath’s body had been there was nothing.
The smoke in the air took the shape of Mordorath, and his voice shook the ground like thunder and was so powerful that it threw everyone to the ground. Mordorath facing Gonifred, dripping venom from his mouth said, “One day I will regain shape again, and I will regain my power, and I will become so powerful that nothing can kill Me.” and with that Mordorath gave an ear splitting screech and his shadow fled to a deep place to regain strength.

Mordorath’s army was now thrown into chaos. Scattering like ants they fled to caves and crevices deep within the mountains. All that was left was Mordorath’s two captains, they had two small red jewels set in their crowns, they glared at EMAD’s, then the jewels in their crown glowed fiery red and then they turned and fled to their master who was waiting for them.

A great cheer broke out amongst the alliance, Gonifred’s father king Thundil made his way through the cheering people to where his son lay. His son was so weary from the battle with Mordorath that he had fallen into a deep sleep. Thundil called men over with a stretcher to bear Gonifred off the battlefield to his tent to tend his wounds. Thundil lingered over Mordorath’s crown they would have to decide what they would do with it. He bent down to pick it up, it was still hot. He wrapped his hands in his cloak and picked it up, covering it with his cloak he followed after his son. He would hold a meeting tomorrow with the other kings. That night there would be a celebration to honor his son and for the victory of the war. When he got back to the tent he found his son already up, such were the remarkable recovery abilities of an elf, but he was still very weary. He dismissed everyone from the tent so that his son could rest.

That night there was a party, there was ale and music and the men made merry long into the night.
The next day King Thundil held a meeting with the other kings about what was to be done about Mordorath and his crown. Although Mordorath’s body had been defeated, and his armies scattered, and the dragon hid deep within his lair, waiting for the return of his master. Mordorath’s spirit had endured and it lived because of the jewel, it was just a matter of time before Mordorath grew powerful enough to start another war. Although he wouldn’t be able to take shape again until he had the jewel. He could still start another war for total dominance of the lands of Arnor.
Now the problem was what to do with the jewel. It was obvious that the jewel was a great source of power, so a dwarven king suggested. “Use its power”.
An elf king argued that it would be too dangerous to use and there would be war as to who could use it. So he wanted to destroy it but no-one know how. Some of the kings supported the dwarf king’s idea and others supported the elf king and others came up with their own opinions. But no one could agree on any until an old wizard who had been invited to attend the council, and until now had just been watching both sides of the debate, rose to his feet and said "How about we bury it".
King Thundil stopped and turned to the wizard and so did the rest of the kings.
“And what will that gain us?” asked a king, “how will that stop Mordorath?”
“If we bury it deep to stop any one finding it, then we could cast spells of sleeping over it and Mordorath would sleep until we find a way to destroy it”.
“Why not decide that here and now” argued one of the kings.
“Well we are not going to decide that in this meeting and this will buy us as much time as we need to find a way with out worrying about Mordorath”.

King Thundil knew it was not wise to go against the advice of wizards. He slowly nodded his head and one by one more kings agreed to that term of action. So after returning in triumph to each of their lands the kings gathered again deep within a mountain, and there they hid the jewel and cast spells over it to keep Mordorath in an enchanted sleep until they found a way to destroy it. But a way was not found and in the many years of peace that followed Mordorath’s defeat many people forgot. The tunnel was sealed up and the kings forgot the threat and thinking that a way was found, stopped searching. Mordorath slept and his army remained hidden and scattered and Mordorath and his jewel became a story, and the story became legend, and legend became myth, and the jewel which should have been destroyed was not and Mordorath whose life force was now bound to the jewel slept, but still lived and it would just be a matter of time before the jewel was uncovered and Mordorath would awaken.

Rising Of The Black Tide

Page 5

Gonifred was tiring. The alliance was gathered around making one half of a giant circle, within the gathering was Gonifred’s father. His father looked on in horror as Mordorath held his sword in both hands about to make a final killing blow.

The goblins and octogobs [creatures made by Mordorath] were gathered around, making the other half of the circle, and they were all clashing their swords on their shields or banging the ground with their spears and all this together made a loud drumming sound that got louder and louder, just as it reached its climax Mordorath swung his sword with all his might and power behind it at Gonifred. Gonifred brought his sword up to meet Mordorath’s, the two swords clashed together and Gonifred was lifted off the ground by the force of it. His sword went flying out of his hands and out of the ring of elves, men, dwarves and monsters.

Gonifred came down next to one of his elf swords that had been knocked from his hands earlier; he picked it up and wearily got to his feet. Mordorath lowered his sword so it now pointed at Gonifred and whispered words in the ancient language, Gonifred felt a invisible force pushing him and he flew back again. This time he landed next to a spear that had belonged to a former elfish officer that had fallen in battle. Gonifred quickly sheathed his sword and picked up the spear and hurled it at Mordorath’s head. Mordorath saw it coming just as it was about to hit him and started to duck, the spear didn’t hit its intended target but instead clipped Mordorath’s crown. The crown and spear went spinning to the ground, Gonifred ran at Mordorath before he could recover his crown.

Mordorath held his sword at Gonifred again and whispered more words of the ancient language, and once again Gonifred felt the invisible force trying to knock him off his feet, but he held his ground this time, than he sprang at Mordorath with his sword going for his heart. Mordorath defended the blow but with not quite as much authority as earlier. Mordorath was backing away to where his crown lay a few metres away, Gonifred knew that he must stop Mordorath before he reached his crown, for he knew now the source of Mordorath's power.

Gonifred circled around so now his back was to the crown. The air of the battle field was tense as the EMAD’s now saw a gleam of victory and Mordorath’s monsters had stopped drumming and were uncertain now as to who would win. Gonifred blocked a blow, and then lunged at Mordorath. Mordorath did not see it coming and it sheared though his amour and was stopped by his chain mail, but it didn't go without breaking a few ribs. Mordorath now wounded went into berserker rage, swinging his sword in wild arcs at Gonifred. Gonifred did his best to dodge the blade but Mordorath kept advancing until he was right over his crown, he bent down to retrieve it. Gonifred gave a battle cry and leapt at Mordorath with his sword in both hands, swinging for Mordorath’s neck. Mordorath looked up from his crown and saw the blade coming for his neck, he started to bring his sword up to deflect it but he was to late. Gonifred's sword with all his strength behind it, meet with Mordorath's neck and sheered straight through, Mordorath’s head toppled off and he collapsed to the ground. Mordorath was defeated!

The Rising of the Black Tide

Page 4
Gonifred was ready, he put both swords together in a parry. Gonifred felt the power in the blow, it squashed him to the ground, then Mordorath sent another blow at Gonifred from the side. Gonifred saw it coming and blocked it, but he was almost knocked off his feet. The red jewel in Mordorath's crown started to glow again and Mordorath stature, as big as it was already, seemed to grow in power and height. Gonifred swung a sword at Mordorath's head and the other one at Mordorath's side. Mordorath parried them with ease, then Mordorath swung his sword around in wild arcs to confuse Gonifred's eyes, then with both hands on his sword Mordorath took other side strike at Gonifred and Gonifred parried it with both swords and Mordorath's sword sheared through Gonifred's first sword, which dropped to the ground in two pieces and sent his second sword out of his hands and across the battle field some distance away.

Gonifred reached over his shoulder and pulled from a scabbard a two handed broad sword, it made a hiss when it was pulled from its scabbard, it shone with a soft pale light. The sword in length was a bit smaller then Mordorath's but made of much lighter and harder metals, which were very rare and expensive, called Klackie. Gonifred leaped at Mordorath with his sword Mordorath blocked it and lunged at Gonifred, Gonifred side stepped and thrust his sword into Mordorath's heart. It went through the mail and deep into Mordorath's evil hide and black blood started to trickle from the wound. The red jewel on Mordorath's crown started to glow again and the black blood stopped coming out. Gonifred looked on in amazement. The hole where he had stabbed Mordorath was gone, the only thing left to show where the wound had been was the hole in Mordorath's black mail. Mordorath now wielded his sword like a toy and hacked away at Gonifred's defense.

The Rising Of The Black Tide

Page 3

They had eight arms/tentacles, four at the front and four at the back. Each hand had claws, they had eyes at the front and back of their head and could switch them around. When the front eyes were closed you could tell that they were using their back eyes, they had a head sort of like an octopus and a kurnark. They were bigger and stronger then kurnarks, but not as big or strong as trolls, their skin is hard and leathery and they are fatal to horses if equipped with a pike. If they are hurt they go into berserker rage. With these creatures Mordorath was now gaining the upper hand in the war.

Gonifred saw all the people dying around him, he yelled to Mordorath to face him in a single combat. Mordorath heard from his dark tower him and laughed an evil laugh that striked fear in anyone that heard it. Overly eager to test his new powers Mordorath pressed on to the battlefield. Mordorath appeared at the top of the wall that overlooked the battlefield, with his two captains clad black on either side of him, Mordorath's voice rang out over the din of battle.
"I accept your challege!" Mordorath sent out a mind control message to his creatures, they stopped fighting and backed away. The elves, men and dwarves did likewise.

Mordorath stepped down from the wall and was lost from sight, then the gates creaked open and Mordorath strode out, his creatures parted to either side for him to walk through. He stopped just in front of Gonifred, his monsters gathered around them in a half-ring while the elves, men and dwarves formed the opposite side of the ring. Gonifred stood proud and tall with his long yellow hair flowing in the breeze, his fair face was dirtied and blacked by battle, in his hands he held two long elf swords. As Mordorath's red eyes bore into Gonifred the red jewel in his black crown started to glow, then it stopped. In a flash Mordorath had drawn his massive broadsword that hung at his waist and struck an overhead blow at Gonifred.

The Rising of the Black Tide

Page 2

Binfur replied, "My father taught me, he told me that his father had taught him and so on throughout the ages, all the way back to the Dwarves of Old."
"Okay" said Daffwield who was now quiet, curious as to what the writing said. "So what does the writing say?"
Binfur studied the writing for some time and then he started to read it out loud so the other dwarves could know what it said.

"It tells of a great battle fought against a powerful, dark lord Mordorath and his monsters.

The elves, men and dwarves of the land Alonor allied together and mustered a great army and marched against Mordorath to his dark fortress Dungudy, before his power grew too great, to defeat Mordorath. Mordorath sent his armies out to meet them and before the gates of Dungudy a great and terrible battle was fought. It lasted for many days and then the allies started to drive the enemy back. Mordorath called a retreat, his Kurnarks and trolls drew back into Dungudy and the gates were closed.

That night there were celebrations in the EMAD(Elves,Men and Dwarves) camp, they had won a great battle. But they all knew that they had not won the war. Later that night a sentry sounded the alarm, the sky seemed to be lit up and a bright light was coming towards them fast, there was flapping of giant wings and a row of tents burst into flames.
"Dragon!" People were shouting; and were running in terror away from the terrifying creature, just then Gonifred, son of the king of elves, directed a volly of arrows at the dragon. Arrow after arrow flew at the dragon, most of them just bounced off its thick scales, all the while the dragon was setting fire to more tents and swooping down upon men, elves, dwarves and horses. But some of the arrows were finding their mark and piercing through the dragon scales, the dragon was young and its scales were not yet fully developed, the dragon gave one last breath of flames and flew back to Dungudy leaving behind fire and death and chaos. Captains organised a water chain and the fires were soon put out. The dead were buried and the panic stricken horses were rounded up, the leaders of the armies were now considering this new threat and a way to defeat Mordorath. They all decided on laying siege upon Dungudy.

The siege lasted for many months, in that time many a battle had been fought and many were lost on both sides, but the Kurnarks kept on multiplying and then Mordorath made new creatures, Octopus type creatures that go on land and sea."

The Rising of the Black Tide

Author - Legolas
page 1

"Father" said a young voice. King Charn looked down from his throne (and his food which he too often had in front of him) to see his only son Daffwield standing there.
"What is it?" he asked his son.
"The dwarf miners have broken though to a tunnel."
"So?" answered his father uncaringly, "Why bother me about it go explore it yourself "
"Father I would not have brought it to your attention if I did not think it important." he paused,and then went on "On the tunnel walls there is writing written by the dwarves of old."
"Well take a party of six dwarves or so and explore it.
"Yes father."

After Daffwield had selected six dwarves along with one of the dwarf miners who had found the tunnel and reported it, they started down the long underground tunnel. When they got to the new tunnel the dwarf miner whose name was Dorfin led the group. The only light came from the lanterns they carried and the ones along the tunnel walls. The dwarves rumbled along at good speed, a speed that they can keep for a long time which is surprising for their bulk. They cut comical figures jogging along with their beards and their bellies waging, for all dwarves have beards and all are of a bulky build even if they are not fat, which is unusual for it is a well know fact that most dwarves are overly fond of the food and drink.

After a couple of rests along the way they came to a place in the tunnel where it was starting to look newer and Daffwield guessed that the tunnel they were going to was close. His guess proved correct, they rounded the next bend and saw a fork in the tunnel. On one side of the tunnel dwarves were digging a new tunnel and on the other side was an opening just big enough to walk through without bumping your head. Dorfin walked through with his lantern, holding it in front of him, Daffwield followed after him and the rest of the dwarves followed Daffwield. Daffwield looked down the tunnel, it ran steeply down, even with the lantern light his eyes could not penetrate the murky blackness that surrounded them for more then a few meters, this was not the usual darkness of being underground that Daffwield had been accustomed to all his life, this was more... he searched for a word, 'evil,' yes, now he thought about it the very air which was stuffy to say the least seemed to be thick with evil and magic. He looked around at the other dwarves that had accompanied him, they were huddled in a group staring down the tunnel in the direction that all the dwarves felt the evil was coming from. Then a dwarf named Binfur broke out of the group of dwarves and walked over to the wall. With his lantern held high so as he could see the writing that was on the wall, after studying the writing for some time he turned to Daffwield and said "I understand the writing, how is it that the youngest dwarf here understands the writing of the dwarves of old?"