"mm, haaaazeeee" Ela mumbled as she trudged along after her brother.
"It'd be exciting and I don't mind you guys," She smiled at Ha'zi before Miriel turned to Card and stood up from her chair, "I suppose so, though, I do not know where exactly this 'barracks' is."
Ela hazily followed after Cardiloc, holding his hand whilst Miriel walked alongside him and Ha'zi. They rounded a corner on their way through the sixth level and notice a large building with multiple storeys backed into the corner of the mountain. Many Gondorians streamed through its front doors. That must be the King's Barracks.
[user avatar="https://cravatar.eu/helmavatar/UnusualBrit/74.png" name="UnusualBrit"]12700073[/user] [user avatar="https://cravatar.eu/helmavatar/9842Kye/74.png" name="9842Kye"]16315828[/user]
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"Ahha," Marco laughed at Daugo's impression, "Sure thang, I'm in for the ladies!" He turned to Sigeric, "Come alon, man, it'll be fun I'm telling ya, I was at this place called the Arrowhall and it was fantastic service even though you guys blew up the Palace and caused a fiasco, I had a great time while it lasted!"
[user avatar="https://cravatar.eu/helmavatar/CluckmanTheDerp/74.png" name="CluckmanTheDerp"]13527980[/user] [user avatar="https://cravatar.eu/helmavatar/assassiniv/74.png" name="assassiniv"]14628767[/user] [user avatar="https://cravatar.eu/helmavatar/Szucsclan/74.png" name="Szucsclan"]12519458[/user]
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There was a slight sting and both Mairon and Pyrus disappeared from Morgoth's fortress.
When Pyrus re-opened his eyes into the current time he saw sandy dunes and shrubs for miles. The only illumination came from the moon and the stars which brought light down upon him and his brother. Mairon spoke, "Good. The more you use your wings, the more you will be able to fly. Use them at your own expense as they take up your energy and power, Pyrus. Now, what do you want to learn first?"
[user avatar="https://cravatar.eu/helmavatar/DeathValley105/74.png" name="DeathValley105"]15756962[/user]
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Once they had left Morgoth loosened up a bit and slouched into his throne. This all felt too similar. So much hope. His own faithful followers. Grooming his armies. But then, it always ended the same. Always because of Manwe and Tulkas. Those bastards. Tulkas was a little shit compared to him. A piece of pigeon slime that somehow always managed to land on his head. Why had Eru made him so powerful? Was it to spite him? Of course. Eru made everything to spite him. His little brother was a loyal do-good son, Manwe, that uncreative fuck. Then came Varda. Useless maiden. Honestly, Illuvitar must've made her just to serve Manwe and piss me off further. Then there came Ulmo, the silent brooding one. At least he did not have such a stick up his ass like Manwe but he still supported the Children of Illuvitar no matter the amount of debauchery and degeneracy they committed. Next was Yavanna, she was fine other than the fact she had fallen in love with that pathetic copy of him, Aule. He wanted to vomit at the name. That pitiful sad sack of shit couldn't act as a leader, nor a creator. And his creations were just like him. Fat, morbidly obese, sad sacks of shit. Mandos was next. All foreboding, distrustful and cunning. A sinner at heart but everyone blamed him. Of course. Eru's propaganda schemes worked on his dumb Children, of course, they'd work on his dumber trueborns. Nienna, his sister, was a sad sack of shit but at least she was upfront about it. Unlike Aule.
The last of the Aratar was Orome. One of the better ones at least, though, Eru did him down with that name. Who the hell names their kid 'horn-blower'. That's like calling him 'dick-sucker' and expecting him to love you. Sadly, Orome did love Illuvitar, much to his own regret. He had been one of the nicer ones, even though they disagreed upon many things, and fought countless times, he had been willing to compromise and that was more than any of those blind fools. If he knew what was good for him he'd join me, or at the least compromise. He loved me the most and plead for me. He could be swayed to my side. Or...I'd have to put him down like the rest. Even if he was the most beloved of my brothers.
The others are useless. Vana was a dumb blonde bitch who couldn't take no for an answer, Vaire was too Mandos-sey for my likes, Irmo actually was smart but chose the wrong side, and the same goes for Este. Nessa was also a dumb bitch, useless as she may be, it would be good if I could sway her to my side. And the last of the Valar...Tulkas.
One of the Maiar guards present actually visibly saw Morgoth shudder.
I'll kill that arrogant laughing shit. No matter the cost. Melkor's hands had wrapped along the throne's arms and cracked the obsidian in place, cutting himself. He looked down and his hand healed up as a droplet of blood tainted his dark seat. He would make sure to spread Tulkas' blood on this throne when the deed was done. He had prepared for it, studied Tulkas' movements in the past and had grown stronger. He could beat him now. He was certain.
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"Why can we not gain more allies? What of Ulmo? Does he not care for the Children of Illuvitar? What of Orome? What of Nessa, your wife? What of the Free Peoples themselves? What about the Karoltai? All of them could be reasoned with, Tulkas." Eonwe plead with the huge Vala whilst he single-handily fought all twenty-five of his champions with his bare hands.
The Vala was somehow able to compress his fists and release an absurd amount of energy with each punch. Enough to completely wipe out any opponent within the field of view of his fists, which were immense. He swung his fist through the air shouting, "DALISH SMASH!" Sending nearly fifty percent of his fighters hurtling through the air and into the walls of the training arena. Eonwe was watching from the surrounding bleachers with Turin. The man was of few interactions and fewer words and merely watched the fight conclude.
"TULKAS!" Eonwe yelled.
"Huh, okay. We've discussed this before, you insolent brat!" He readied his fists again as his Champions began to charge him from behind, "Ulmo is unwilling to oppose Manwe after what happened to the others. He cares but not above his own safety. Orome? He disappeared after the War. No one's heard from him since after the incident with Manwe. No one likes Manwe except Manwe himself, and maybe Varda but that's mostly out of nostalgic love for the Vala he was, not what he has become. Tracking down Aldaron and bringing him to our party would take more time than even I would consider possible. And who's to say my brother-in-law is alive? Manwe might've finished the job and covered it up. Though, I doubt Orome would let Manwe get the better of him after what he broke his trust the first time...anyway, if Aldaron wants to remain hidden, then he obviously doesn't want to be found." He launched his fist at the next wave of his warriors, "DWWWWAAARRRVEEEN SSSSSMAAAAAAAASSHHH!"
The entire row of them were obliterated and only survived because Tulkas was pulling his punches. The last reminaing five had spread out and were using ranged weapons to target him. Arrows bounced off Tulkas' flexing muscles and a mini-catapult launched a rock which grazed his cheek, doing no damage to him. Tulkas laughed and smiled as always before raising his fist in the direction of the majority of the ranged users.
"CATAPULT SMAAASSHH!"
The mini-catapult along with its user and two other archers went flying out of the arena, screaming over the sound of Tulkas' hearty laughs. He turned back to face the last two. One with a hammer and the other was Stadus, wielding a longsword. Both charged him from opposite angles whilst he readied both his fists. The one with the hammer smashed it into Tulkas' back whilst Stadus charged his front and sliced the longsword along his chest. Tulkas merely laughed as his wound healed instantly and he grabbed both Maiar with his hands, began to twirl them about and shouted out into the starry sky, "MAIAAAAAR SMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSHHHHHHH!" Both Stadus and the hammerer flew into the darkness of the night and did not land for the next two minutes. When they did come down Tulkas ran up and grabbed both of the air, landing on the floor with a THUD and laughing.
"AT THIS RATE, I'LL NEED NEW CHAMPIONS!! MIND JOINING US, EONWE?" His voice boomed across the stadium in the southern Peleori mountains.
Eonwe visibly glared at him, "Why not the Free Peoples? Why not the Karoltai? They are good people and were deceived!" He explained for the seven hundred and fiftieth time.
"HAHAH! I know, Eonwe. You've told me. But it's too much trouble revealing myself in Middle-Earth. Manwe's spies will know and then I'll have to deal with that stingy crow for an eternity. On top of that it's too much work to attempt to trust in people, Eonwe. You should know that. They're stubborn, bratty, too talkative and usually almost always fail. Ainur rarely fail and are loyal! And last of all, we don't need them. I bet my Champions alone could wipe out Morgoth's forces! HAHA!"
Eonwe fell back in his seat with a sigh and watched as they started another match. Turin blew a circle of smoke out from his pipe.
"Want some?" The man asked, offering a smoke.
-------------------------------
The chamber was dark. Only a torchlight flickered in the shadows. Two figures sat at a table. One shrouded in darkness, the other cloaked in a simple jacket and brown tunic.
"I'm glad you decided to come." The first began.
"Just hurry up and get it over with," The second rapped out.
"Forgive me. I know what ha-"
"Save it." The Trickster cut him off.
The dark figure seemed visibly displeased, "You've seen it, haven't you?"
"Yes."
"That's why you've taken an interest in them?"
"Correctamundo."
"Then you know how this ends."
"Indeed I do, oh wisest brother. Indeed I do." The Trickster mocked his tone.
"And you are fine with it?"
"Look. You do your job. I do mine. Everything works, capisce?"
"Very well. You may leave." The dark figure motioned to the door.
The Trickster raised his fingers and spoke, "You know. I thought we were better than this but I suppose we're not. We were supposed to be heroes. To be the 'good guys' but look at us. I've become a broken down discount Loki and you're," he motioned at the dark figure with his hands, "This."
He paused for a moment before asking, "Why did it have to be this way? Just answer that for me."
"Because of him. He did this. You know it in your heart, yet you still delude yourself. You know he created all this pain and suffering. All this disease. He made Melkor the way he was and punished everything because of it. But, then again, he did create us. He did create elves and men and give life to dwarves and bring light into the darkness. There was shadow and he brought beauty and creation. When a toy is used enough, the one who uses it eventually discards it and finds another. He is how he was made. And we, are how we were made."
The Trickster hadn't smiled throughout the entire conversation and still, his features refused to show any happiness.
"Goodbye." He said the word and snapped his fingers.