Iron Stars

Chapter 13: Lehta Ohtar

(Free Warrior ^)
TW: Mentions of torture and violence. This is going to be a more violent chapter so warning now

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Angband

     Nyx sat crumpled against a wall, her head leaning back against the stone as her eyes shut tight. Her head throbbed and she was almost scared to move for the pain in her body. She was sure some of her ribs were broken and her entire back stung from the whip. The chain around her foot dug into her skin, another horrific pain. Alone in the darkness, she hummed a lullaby Maglor had taught her, trying to stay sane.

     She heard the door rattle open and cracked her eyes open, trying to ignore the pain from the bruising around her eyes. In the doorway stood Mairon or Sauron as she had come to call him. The second name made far more sense to her.

     "Up, Melkor wants you back to work. He figures you know not to even try and make a break for it," he said, his voice silky smooth but laced with venom. After her most recent escape, she'd been beaten and then trapped in the dark room for countless hours.

Nyx stood shakily, ignoring the pain she felt before gesturing to her foot which was chained to the wall. The sorcerer soon unlocked it before attaching it to a long wire which stretched out of the room. She'd never actually had the chain removed only been allowed to move in different degrees. It was one of the many ways Morgoth made her life hell.

     They walked for a while down the dark hallways of Angband but Nyx who had had begun to memorize the paths was confused. They were not heading to the forge where she usually worked which was deep in the fortress but rather upwards. However she said nothing wishing to avoid confrontation. She did not want to be beaten again.

     They entered a wide circular room which had a gate on one side. A gate that had light seeping through it. And in all of Nyx's time in Angband the only light she had seen came from the forge. She'd never even been allowed outside of the fortress, never even seen a window. Something was happening and she understood it not.

     The ground was covered in sand and Nyx's bare feet soaked up the heat that came from it. Sauron came over and unlocked the chain around her foot. This time, he didn't lock it somewhere else, adding to her confusion.

     He then handed her a weapon. A dagger she had crafted under the orders of Morgoth. A dagger sharper than any before. And Sauron had just placed it in her hands.

     "You have a few minutes then that gate opens. Enjoy," he said then left.

     Scanning the room, Nyx came to a conclusion. The only reason she had been brought here was to test her. And whatever awaited her through that gate was something she would have to fight. Meaning she needed another weapon. The only other thing was a small shelf which had various jars filled with something.

     She studied them, perhaps she could coat the blade in a poison. That would give her a better chance. So she lifted a pair of jars from the shelf. One filled with a silvery poison she recognized. Telpë-hloima they called it, silver poison. The other jar held orc blood. If there was any substance more corrosive that the blood of orcs she had yet to find it.

     So she dipped the dagger into both jars, thoroughly coating the blade and silently hoping it meant she had a chance. Her minutes were almost up, the gate would open soon. Lifting the blade from the jar she kept it away from her as a drop fell from the tip. The drop instantly burned through the sand, creating a hissing sound.

     Left with no time to ponder that, Nyx turned to the gate. It began to open, letting in a golden light. But that light couldn't be from the tree. That tree had died, she'd seen it fade to ash. So what lit the world now?