ANGMAR RETURNS

Madurz awakened from a troubled sleep, remembering scant of which she had dreamt. She could see that Tilion the Moon rested low in the western sky and knew by that that it would be two hours before Arien the Sun cast her blazing light upon Arda. It was the 25th of March.

She looked around and saw that the fire was still burning but not with the intensity that it had been last night when Neithan had flamed it into a blazing beacon of light. An errant wind from the west had picked up during the night and had rained down many red embers and branches half on fire upon Ashgaz. The fire had also fallen upon Neithan but in his madness he had not even noticed.

While Madurz had slept, the man had been walking and talking to himself but had tripped over Ashgaz' unseen form and became convinced that Ashgaz was the ghost of Vorondil, his friend and captain whom he had killed. It was obvious that the man had sunken deeper and deeper into his madness, and begin to think that besides seeing Vorondil, he could also see his dead love Luinwen, Hallas and Ararod, the bowman whom he had also killed at Osgaliath the previous June.

Ashgaz was surprised that the rambling words of Neithan had not awakened her, since Neithan had talked constantly to the faces he thought he had seen in the fire, and spoken often of what the voices were telling him to do. Then suddenly, Neithan had stood up and left on what he had called a "scout."

Neithan was obsessed with the idea the Valar had sent these spirits of the dead back so that they would forgive him and he would be at last reunited with them. He was convinced that his captain Vorondil would lead them all to victory at Minas Morgul. Two hours before dawn he returned.

Madurz: *she readied herself..tried to ready her mind in what they may face..or what result she might find when she got to her destination. She was glad however, even if this man was going mad that he decided to agree to her suggestion to go right into Mordor..instead of asking questions and being suspicious*
Neithan: *Neithan slept little through the night and spent most of it looking at the fire and talking to the faces he thought he saw*
Neithan: *By this time he thinks that Ashgaz is really his dead friend Vorondil come back to help him and that they go to attack Minas Morgul*
Ashgaz: *Ashgaz played along with with Neithan's delusion that he was the dead Vorondil, using the madman's passions to gain them passage across the river, but was struck with guilt and pity for him*
Neithan: *Neithan scouted earlier and came back to the camp shortly before dawn*
Neithan: *Neithan speaks* By the light of the moon, I saw scenes of great destruction
Neithan: Skeletons, picked over by buzzards and rotting corpses
Neithan: The stench was foul. It broke my heart
Neithan: So I will take my revenge. My friends, Vorondil, Hallas, Ararod, are you ready to go across the river?
Ashgaz: *listens with (unseen) raised eyebrows*
Madurz: *she dwelled on thoughts of what would happen when she arrived at her beautiful Minas Morgul...they wouldnt know she was once a dweller there..should she just kill the man when they arrived..she was
Neithan: And you Mistwen, will you cross?
Ashgaz: *in the deepest voice he can muster* Yes, my friend, let us go on to victory!
Madurz: just going to let time lead her in decisions..she heard him* yes Neithan
Neithan: Vorondil, have you a sword!
Ashgaz: *sends mental message to Madurz* Play along...this is working to our advantage
Ashgaz: *feels for his dagger--it's there* Yes, I have a weapon
Madurz: *she agrees to Ashgaz*
Neithan: Good Vorondil
Neithan: And my other friends, are they so armed?
Madurz: *looks to the man who mind is severely plagued*
Neithan: I can only see them sometimes
Ashgaz: *feels a pang of guilt*
Neithan: But I can hear them always
Neithan: Vorondil, I cannot see them now. Are they armed?
Ashgaz: We have all the strength we need to accomplish our mission.
Madurz: *he had changed much since they met..perhaps they were his final straw into madness*
Neithan: If they are not armed sufficiently, we can go back and find weapons in the battlefields to the south
Neithan: They will not need them there anymore
Madurz: come let us go now
Neithan: By Elbereth, may they find peace beyond the circles of the world
Ashgaz: *wonders if his presence is what is driving the man insane*
Ashgaz: *winces*
Neithan: Then let us cross
Neithan: We must break camp and take our supplies
Ashgaz: Yes, we have everything we need.
Neithan: Ah, Vorondil, it would be good to have you by my side again and together we will fight the nameless enemy!
Neithan: And let us depart in haste
Ashgaz: Yes...may he be defeated!
Madurz: *nameless enemy...her Lord...they go to her home...what then will she do?*
Ashgaz: *is silent for a moment as the Morgul poison punishes him for saying that*
Neithan: I warn you now. We will never return alive after we cross the river
Neithan: We will never see Gondor again!
Madurz: *i am on my way Khamul...her heart sinks knowing it will be long and hopes he can make it that amount of time..if he had made it till now*
Neithan: So let us take this last sight of it
Neithan: *he stands a while and gazes to the west, lost in memories and grieving*
Ashgaz: *looks at Gondor, still not used to the wonder of such a huge, gorgeous, overwhelming city*
Neithan: *Then turns and walks to the bank of the Anduin where their boat awaits them*
Madurz: *she looks to him...she would feel more guilt if she didnt have so much else on her aching mind*
Ashgaz: *Ponders...there must be a way to save this man's life. He doesn't deserve to die.*
Neithan: The White City, we will never see it again, Vorondil
Neithan: For it is now destroyed
Neithan: Come, follow me, my friends
Ashgaz: We can never know the course of the future, my friend...
Ashgaz: Perhaps we shall see it again.
Neithan: By Elbereth, I pray we might!
Madurz: *sends thought to Ashgaz* his mind is a cell...he would welcome death where he can be with them once more*
Neithan: *he walks to the boat and beckons them all to get in*
Ashgaz: *replies silently* I suppose so...but would not his blood be on our hands?
Neithan: Get in, get in, we must hurry
Madurz: *she follows and places pack and herself in the boat.....gets his message and replies...it would not be the first or last*
Ashgaz: *perhaps not on yours...on mine, because I led him to this journey*
Ashgaz: *It is the first for me!*
Neithan: I will take the bow
Ashgaz: *...and hopefully the last*
Madurz: *he will not die by your hands..he has agreed to all of this*
Neithan: You tarry, Vorondil and Mistwen
Neithan: Perhaps you wish to stay here? Perhaps you have lost heart?
Ashgaz: *He has no idea what is even real...he cannot really agree to anything*
Madurz: no not at all...let us go at once
Neithan: *he gets in and unties the rope that holds the boat to the tree*
Ashgaz: *deep breath* No, we must not lose heart
Ashgaz: *appoaches the boat, staring at the water with dread*
Madurz: *she flashes Ash a glare and a thought.....
Madurz: this journey will get harder...are you losing strength or have forgotten our true purpose? Khamul....our the Dark Lord....this is no time for your Hobbit conscience*
Neithan: Vorondil, Hallas?
Ashgaz: I'm here
Ashgaz: *coughs* We are here.
Neithan: We must go, we must go!
Ashgaz: Have no fear.
Neithan: Vorondil, I can no longer see you. Do not leave us!
Ashgaz: *is tempted to show his anger as only a wraith can, but the thought leaves him quickly*
Neithan: Arien will soon be upon us
Neithan: May the blessed Maia that guides the Sun shine on us with favor
Ashgaz: *though he is unseen, Madurz can feel his icy glare*
Ashgaz: *then he supresses it*
Madurz: *you promised to stay on task Ashgaz*
Ashgaz: *sighs*
Ashgaz: *silent message* Give me your hand...help me into the boat.
Madurz: *we are going to have to do ill things in days to come...do not fail me now..nor Khamul*
Madurz: *reaches her hand out*
Ashgaz: *takes her hand and climbs into the boat*
Neithan: Arien, Arien, lady of the sun. Pray that you will guide us by day and the light of Tilion and the stars of Elbereth guide us by night
Ashgaz: *loses his balance as the boat rocks*
Madurz: *holds Ash steady*
Ashgaz: *settles behind her, next to the pack again*
Neithan: And may all the Valar and Maiar in Valinor watch over us
Neithan: We must first paddle so as to back the boat into the current
Ashgaz: *Terrified, he clutches a corner of the hem of his robe that she is wearing, hoping she won't notice*
Madurz: *she begins to help Neithan*
Neithan: Mistwen, that is your name, though you do remind me of my love, Luinwen
Madurz: *smiles to him* i am honored
Neithan: *they back the boat into the current and start paddling to the eastern shore*
Neithan: Though the river is wide here it should not take us long to cross
Ashgaz: *thinks* Good
Neithan: We should go downstream to Osgaliath to get to the road that leads to Minas Morgul
Madurz: agreed
Neithan: We will not go on the Morgulduin, for the water is poisonous
Ashgaz: *He suddenly realizes how far he is travelling from the Shire, yet again*
Ashgaz: *It usually seems to him that he is on a strange journey, but though he knows otherwise, it feels like he will return home eventually*
Ashgaz: *but now the thought hits him that when they reach their destination, there is no return*
Madurz: *it remains quiet int he boat and her mind wanders*
Neithan: *On the east side of the river is Ilithien and many trees. Onthe west side are fields and remains of destroyed villages*
Ashgaz: *He begins to wail softly. It sounds like wind wailing in the trees*
Neithan: *After some time passes, they reach Osgiliath and its ruins, the ruined bridge, and the road leading to Minas Morgul*
Ashgaz: *does not see their surroundings as he is curled up in the bottom of the boat*
Neithan: A breeze from the west picks up. That is a good sign
Neithan: *They cross the river and paddle into shallow water along the shore*
Madurz: *she looks ahead and her heart begins to pound more as she knows they are close*
Ashgaz: *feels the boat hit solid ground. His spirits lift*
Neithan: *Even though it is day, clouds from Mordor obscure some of the light, making the threat of meeting nocturnal orcs a possibility*
Neithan: Wade through the water. I will not keep the boat
Neithan: And be quiet
Neithan: Let the boat go to the sea. We will not need it again
Ashgaz: *looks at Madurz desperately*
Neithan: *he slips into the water and splashes to the shore taking his things*
Madurz: *she lifts Ashgah with her pack into her arms*
Neithan: My friends, here we are
Ashgaz: *sighs with relief into Madurz' ear* Thank you!
Neithan: See the road yonder?
Madurz: *smiles...she places him down on the land*
Madurz: yes
Neithan: It is only about 15 miles to Minas Morgul
Neithan: Strange we have seen nothing
Madurz: *she wished her Nazgul were still there and that she was going there to be with him...to be home*
Neithan: We should not walk on the actual road, but in the trees along it
Neithan: Let us use that for a cover
Madurz: *and still she worried about the fate of the Dark Lord (not knowing the ring was found yet of course)*
Neithan: *Though Neithan said that he thought they were not being watched, he was mistaken, for eyes had been watching them through the trees on the other side and had seen their progress across the river and laughed at them*
Neithan: *Indeed it was a fool's errand*
Madurz: *she wondered what this man's worth was to them...she needed a reason to keep him alive for his presense would complicate their situation in Mordor..no longer was he a help as if she were in Gondor.. now he would become a problem*
Neithan: *Besides the unseen eyes that had been watching them, more company was waiting for them*
Ashgaz: *Ashgaz senses the eyes that watch them*
Neithan: *A rider on a fell beast comes from the east and the rider commands it to circle them slowly almost leisurely*
Ashgaz: *The gaze feels familiar*
Madurz: *her breath catches in her throat*
Neithan: *Neithan looks up and whispers* By Elbereth, it is one of the enemy's servants! Hide!
Ashgaz: *If it is orcs they will not have to worry--even a hobbit would kill orcs without hesitation, and Ashgaz is invulnerable to them*
Madurz: *she seems to stare at it for long moments not moving*
Neithan: *he grabs the woman and drags her into the trees*
Ashgaz: *does not hide, taking advantage of his invisibility and knowing that the rider can see him*
Neithan: We must hide!
Neithan: Are you bewitched?
Neithan: Hide!
Madurz: *please come to us..please..her mind repeats*
Ashgaz: *looks up, watching the rider*
Madurz: *hates the fact that this man is with her now when she is so close*
Narrator: *they hear a long eerie wail from the sky*
Ashgaz: *thinks: The man will think it is the rider screeching* *sends up a Nazgul screech in answer*
Madurz: *she feels her fist clench..how she wanted to kill him*
Narrator: Ashgazmalkullat! (Ashgaz, where are you) *the shriek says*
Ashgaz: *understands the cry*
Ashgaz: *shrieks again*
Ashgaz: *louder this time*
Ashgaz: Kulizgtul! (I am here)
Madurz: her heart pounds furiously*
Neithan: *Neithan says* They are calling in their evil language, threatening us!
Ashgaz: *repeats this cry over and over*
Ashgaz: Kulizgtul (I am here)
Narrator: *Answering call* kultaizgangmar (It is I Angmar)
Madurz: *she looks up into the sky*
Madurz: *tries to send a mental message...because her gut tells her it is* My Lord?
Madurz: *does not know if it reaches*
Ashgaz: *cries with the words* KULIZGTULFHOKIZISHU (I am here help us)
Narrator: *But the eyes that have been watching them belong to Glokgrazadh, an orc commander*
Ashgaz: *continues to screech for help*
Ashgaz: *then notices the orc coming toward them*
Madurz: *she looks around and her breath is caught once again*
Ashgaz: *sends message to Madurz* Hide, do not fear, I can handle him
Glokgrazadh: *A great black uruk comes towards them. Neithan draws his sword*
Ashgaz: *places his unseen self between the Uruk and Neithan*
Glokgrazadh: *The orc says* Foolish man to draw your sword on I, Glokgrazadh
Ashgaz: *calls up all the rage he has ever felt*
Madurz: *she leaps from their hiding place wchih hides them not for they are seen*
Ashgaz: *lets the evil take full possession of him for a moment*
Narrator: *The fell beast sweeps around them and lands upon the road*
Ashgaz: *strikes the Uruk with Black Breath*
Glokgrazadh: *The orc backs away in fear, but tries not to show it*
Ashgaz: *falls to his knees shaking and breathing hard*
Madurz: *she grips her sword and then looks to the rider*
Ashgaz: *rises and surveys the situation*
Ashgaz: *fingers his dagger*
Neithan: *Neithan gains more courage, comes forward and stabs at the orc. He does not see Ashgaz in front of the orc, for Ashgaz is not wearing a robe and is therefore invisible*
Neithan: *Neithan's blade hits but breaks*
Neithan: *He thinks he has hit the orcs armor not heeding the fact his hand seems cold and slightly numb*
Madurz: *she turns for a moment and watches as they battle with the orc*
Ashgaz: *feels a jolt*
Glokgrazadh: *The orc is confused, and does not see Ashgaz in front of him*
Madurz: *if it was not for Ash she would have left the man to deal with the orc*
Ashgaz: *looks in wonder at the broken blade...and his unharmed body*
Narrator: *Now Neithan is without a weapon and more orcs join them*
Ashgaz: *gathers his strength and puts the Black Breath spell on the orc commander again*
Madurz: *she breathes harder now seeing them joined by more orcs*
Ashgaz: *sees the orcs approaching*
Narrator: *The orcs fall upon Neithan*
Ashgaz: *takes a deep breath*
Narrator: *But words in Black Speech from the road command them to bind Neithan and take him towards Minas Morgul*
Ashgaz: *and runs into the thick of it striking at the orcs with his dagger*
Glokgrazadh: *The orc commander staggers and tries to keep up with the rest of them*
Ashgaz: *hears the command but is so worked up that he continues trying to defend Neithan*
Narrator: *Ashgaz hears words from the road saying* Stay Ashgaz
Narrator: Do not harm my servants!
Ashgaz: *his hand stops mid-blow*
Narrator: *The orc commander stumbles and falls, foaming at the mouth and ranting. The other orcs pick him up and drag him off*
Madurz: *look towards the road hearing the words and sudddenly she is filled with hope that she will be going back*
Ashgaz: *He stands there panting, watching the raving orc commander*
Narrator: *The orcs that Ashgaz wounded look around furiously and confused but continue following the others*
Ashgaz: *Thinks with both wonder and horror* I did that...I can do that
Narrator: *They hear the rider from the road summoning them* Come, come to me, Madurz and Ashgaz
Ashgaz: *He is forced for a moment to come out of denial and realize he is a wraith, one of them*
Narrator: *The orcs continue on the road with Neithan towards Minas Morgul, going out of sight*
Madurz: *she does not hesitate and on that command she jogs fast to him*
Ashgaz: *He feels that he must follow them, it is urgent, he has no choice*
Angmar: *He waits for them beside his fell beast*
Ashgaz: *Yet he hates them, hates Minas Morgul, and hates himself now as well*
Madurz: *she looks up to him as if he was her greatest gift*
Angmar: *The rider waits by the road and calls*
Angmar: *He tells Ashgaz, since you sought to harm my servants, you shall walk with them back to Minas Morgul and guard them*
Angmar: *Get your cloak back so they can see you!*
Madurz: *she takes it off and gives it to him*
Ashgaz: *puts the cloak on*
Madurz: *swallows hard hearing his name*
Ashgaz: *Grits his teeth*
Angmar: *He watches them as they approach*
Ashgaz: *His eyes glow red*
Angmar: I will take her , but you shall walk Ashgaz!
Ashgaz: *Bows and follows the orcs down the road*
Angmar: But first a word with you!
Angmar: Get back here Ashgaz!
Ashgaz: *turns back*
Angmar: I did not dismiss you
Angmar: *Angmar is very angry*
Ashgaz: *His voice is hard* I'm sorry.
Angmar: Why, why, did you attack the orcs of the Red Eye?
Angmar: They did nothing to you
Ashgaz: I thought they would harm Madurz and the man.
Angmar: Speak for yourself
Angmar: I care not for the man. He will be dealt with
Ashgaz: I was commanded to defend Madurz.
Ashgaz: The orcs are senseless.
Angmar: First at Minas Morgul, and later at Lugburz. He might make sport for the orcs
Ashgaz: They would not know to treat her differently than any other woman.
Angmar: The orcs are under my command
Angmar: The foolish man built a fire that could be seen for miles
Ashgaz: I didn't know they were your orcs.
Angmar: And we have been waiting for him
Madurz: *she trembles in anticipation and so pleased to see him. Long has she felt distant and away from all things..but when she sees him she feels a comfort once again...her dreams has taken her to far places and of long ago..she was ready to go find out the fate of her love*
Angmar: Blast you Ashgaz. You refuse to learn the ways of Mordor!
Angmar: Then let your master Khamul teach you. You have not been with us long
Ashgaz: He lives then?
Angmar: Ashgaz, come to me and face me
Madurz: *she hadnt heard them for they spoke out of earshot*
Ashgaz: *braces himself for yet another punishment*
Angmar: Come, look into my eyes
Angmar: You have been a most unworthy servant
Ashgaz: *looks him squarely in the eyes*
Angmar: Why did you not call to us a few days ago?
Angmar: I sent a messenger to look for you
Angmar: He called but you did not answer. Why?
Ashgaz: Because of the man
Angmar: Is the man so valuable?
Angmar: Is he a high lord of Gondor?
Ashgaz: He was our only guide, and he was protecting Madurz
Ashgaz: We didn't want him to know I was there.
Angmar: You show mercy, Ashgaz. A fault you should remedy
Ashgaz: He would have abandoned us
Angmar: Did you not believe that I would send a messenger back for you?
Ashgaz: *forced to look away, not wanting Angmar to see what is in his eyes*
Angmar: *he waits*
Ashgaz: We didn't know what to believe
Angmar: We do not leave our own kind willingly
Madurz: *watches them from a small distance*
Angmar: *He looks into Ashgaz' mind, but he senses Ashgaz was trying to decieve him, but pretends to be satisfied with his story*
Angmar: You speak true, Ashgaz
Angmar: For once
Angmar: But still you must follow the orcs
Angmar: You must learn to protect our servants
Angmar: Enjoy your walk!
Angmar: Now Madurz *he calls to her*
Ashgaz: *quietly* Aye, my lord
Ashgaz: *bows and follows the orcs*
Madurz: *she does not hesitate and moves up to him and even smiles*
Angmar: I will not punish you Ashgaz, for I believe your words
Madurz: My Lord *bows*
Ashgaz: Thank you
Angmar: *He picks her up and tosses her up on the beast*
Angmar: *He gets up behind her*
Madurz: *she looks down to Ashgaz then holds on.feeling the wall of his chest behind her*
Ashgaz: Madurz!
Angmar: *He takes the beast's reins* Are you ready?
Madurz: *sends message to him* there is nothing i can do dear Ashgaz
Ashgaz: I know
Ashgaz: But...tell Khamul...
Ashgaz: Just tell him I am on my way *his voice breaks*
Madurz: *nods, hoping that Khamul would be well enough to hear it*
Ashgaz: He can look forward to hearing my song of the wainriders once more.
Angmar: *He calls back to Ashgaz* It is your job to deal with the prisioner, Ashgaz
Ashgaz: Let that cheer him.
Angmar: You are in command of these orcs and they know it for I have told them
Angmar: But do not let them nibble on him in case they are tempted
Ashgaz: *bows* Thank you, my lord
Ashgaz: Oh, I won't, don't worry
Angmar: It is your new responsibility Ashgaz, you will tend orcs
Angmar: You wait at Minas Morgul. Someone will be back for you
Angmar: And the prisoner
Ashgaz: *the thought of orcs fills him with loathing...but there are worse things*
Ashgaz: *much worse things*
Angmar: Do not be afraid to deal swiftly with the orcs Ashgaz should they disobey your orders
Ashgaz: Aye my lord
Angmar: You should know by now how to deal with them, but I think they will trouble you not
Angmar: *He commands the beast to rise into the air*
Ashgaz: Yes, they are afraid of me, I'm sure
Ashgaz: *thinks how strange that is*
Angmar: *The beast gains altitude*
Ashgaz: *watches them fly away*
Madurz: *she tightens grip as her heart fills again*
Ashgaz: *waves*
Angmar: *And a wind from the east blows back the words of Angmar* Deal with them firmly, Ashgaz, firmly
Ashgaz: Yes, my lord
Angmar: *when they are set on a course towards the east, he tells the woman* You will be home soon, and you will be in my debt. Remember that
Madurz: *his words comfort her and the wind feels great on her face* i am...i know that
Madurz: i would have soon killed the man
Madurz: he was of no use in Mordor
Angmar: *they fly through the air on a path towards Barad-Dur*
Angmar: *The orcs will obey Ashgaz, or suffer if they don't*
Madurz: *her eyes close and she leans back slightly*
Angmar: *But that is another tale*
Madurz: thank you my Lord
Angmar: The man will be dealt with. He will be questioned first by Ashgaz, and if he has any information of value we will learn that soon enough
Madurz: *hopes Ashgaz has the strength since he had felt pity for the man*
Angmar: *Soon they see the glowing city of Minas Morgul below them, and the dark peaks of the Mountains of Shadow*
Angmar: Your home, Madurz, below you *he says*
Madurz: *she takes in the sights so glad to see the splendor of her home again*
Angmar: *He sighs*
Madurz: *her body was tired and sat there almost limp yet held tightly*
Angmar: I had given up hope for you two
Angmar: I thought that you had been killed and that Ashgaz had wandered somewhere confused
Angmar: You should have stayed where I left you
Madurz: *she rested against him not even thinking about it* i know i am sorry my Lord....my mind was in torment and i felt i needed to move..not just stay and waste
Madurz: forgive me
Ashgaz: *quickly catches up with the orcs and Neithan*
Angmar: *he falls silent for a while* Your name.... Madurz.. did you ever have another?
Narrator: *Neithan, though suffering from Black Shadow by now, struggles against the orcs and curses them* BY ELBERETH *which makes the cold feeling in his hand seem better*
Ashgaz: *Ashgaz appears in their midst and sternly commands the orcs to release Neithan*
Madurz: yes my Lord...i used to be called Zimanbalak
Angmar: Zimanbalak.... a good name
Madurz: and i remember it from your lips
Angmar: My lips? *he says*
Madurz: *the wind rushes her face and the sound of the beast's wings lull her*
Angmar: *He tells her* I have called you be the name your master Khamul gave you, Madurz
Angmar: But yet you had another?
Ashgaz: *the orcs roughly throw Neithan to the ground*
Neithan: *Neithan raves at the orcs and would fight them but by now his hands are bound*
Madurz: my lord i was remembering a different time
Neithan: *He calls for Vorondil, Hallas and Ararod and his love Luinwen*
Ashgaz: *Ashgaz reproaches them* Stop, you fools! He is not to be harmed!
Angmar: A different time?
Ashgaz: *Neithan's cries tear at Ashgaz' heart*
Angmar: You confuse me
Angmar: Your scent is familiar, but I remember that from Lugburz
Madurz: i speak of Numenor
Ashgaz: *Ashgaz stands on a rock so the orcs can see him*
Neithan: *Neithan keeps saying Elvish prayers to Elbereth and looks around for Vorondil* Vorondil, Vorondil, help me fight them! Why won't you help me!
Angmar: Numenor, Numenor, I am from Numenor
Ashgaz: *Ashgaz speaks in the common tongue to the orcs*
Angmar: I was once a lord of the family of Elros
Ashgaz: *He detests orcs*
Angmar: But of my life I cannot remember anymore
Ashgaz: Wretches, I am your new commander.
Narrator: *The orcs try to stifle laughs but still they obey Ashgaz*
Madurz: *nods* i know...i know you dont remember much of it but i learn more and more it seems each day
Ashgaz: I am Ashgaz and if you laugh at my stature I will strike you all with Black Breath as I did your commander.
Narrator: *The orcs say* Yes, master, we will obey, we will obey! Do not do that to us! *But they think to themselves... Another blasted filthy shrieker. Oh how we hate them*
Ashgaz: *wasn't really planning on it, but was taking his anger out on the orcs*
Angmar: *The beast is now over the tower of Cirith Ungol at the edge of the Mountains of Shadow and the beginning of the small range of Morgai... and the Witch-King is beginning to have vague memories now.....*
Ashgaz: *Ashgaz commands the strongest orc to carry Neithan, unharmed, to Minas Morgul and commands the other orcs to follow*
Angmar: *The Witch-King falls into silence and thinks his own thoughts*
Ashgaz: *Ashgaz takes the lead, following the pull that he constantly feels going straight through his chest.*

Angmar had been more than a little irritated at Ashgaz' dealings with the orcs. Even after he had looked into Ashgaz' thoughts and found them to be truthful, he still could not quite understand why the wraithling behaved as he did sometimes. Ashgaz had been a mistake, another example of Khamul's incompetence. Yes, Khamul had been the cause of all this - the days of searching, the failed attempts at first to retrieve Ashgaz and Madurz from the East Emnet of Rohan, and then this day, the damage to the orcs inflicted by Ashgaz. Not that he cared about orcs, but these had always been good fighters and had been sent out to find Ashgaz and Madurz, and now some were wounded and suffering from the Black Breath inflicted by Ashgaz. Ah, well, they were stout and would recover, because the powers of Ashgaz were of little strength at this time.

He thought of the woman riding with him on the beast. Something about her had stirred memories within him that were long dead. Another one of Sauron's endless games? He did not know and would not think about that long. He knew that thoughts like these would be considered as rebellion and that he would be in pain if he continued them. Still, the woman had said the name of Numenor..... and he remembered Sauron's hatred of that island. He would control his thoughts, but still a fleeting memory lingered in his mind.

Now he thought of Khamul and wondered why Khamul, though he now wore his own ring, still slept. Perhaps the sight of the woman would bring him back to them.... after all, they were of the same kind.

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