Shadow of Mordor - The Novel

Chapter 5 - The Outcasts

 Talion turned away from the cliff edge, finished with his reconnaissance. He had liberated a slave camp from their Uruk masters, and in return, one of the Outcast slaves told Talion where the Outcast camp was located. Talion was seconds away from making the journey towards the Barrows of Udun, when he heard a cry from below. He ran back to the cliff, and peered over the edge, only to see a wild Caragor laying into a small Uruk.  Talion smiled at the display of wild, untamed nature, then had an idea.

Once the Caragor was done with the Orc, Talion jumped off the cliff onto the Caragor's back. The beast began to buck and jump around, but Talion pressed his hand to the creature's face and seared his mark into the Caragor's flesh, dominating its mind and gaining control. It took the Ranger a few minutes to gain an understanding of how to ride the beast, but once he got the hang of it he was sprinting across Udun on the Caragor's back. After a few minutes of riding, Talion halted the Caragor and dismounted. A small passage leading to a metal gate lay before him, and as Talion squeezed through the tight space, he swore he could hear voices all around him, and the air got significantly colder. Talion made it to the gate and pushed it open, to which the gate responded by squealing loudly as it swung open. A small stone path led deep underground, deep into the Barrows, where the dead rested forever.

Talion slowly walked down the path, and as he did so, he spotted a torch sconce with an unlit torch sitting lopsided in the iron holder. He then reached into his belt and pulled out a small flint and steel that all Rangers carry in case of emergency. He quickly lit the torch, stowed the flint and steel, and proceeded down the now-lit corridor, until he came to a massive open room, filled with arches and supplies, from barrels of what appeared to be grain, to crates full of clothes.  Talion waved the torch around, illuminating his surroundings further, until he saw yet another torch sconce mounted on a wall. Once lit, the torch cast all sorts of eerie shadows, but worst of all was the head. Talion almost flinched when he saw it, but was able to keep his composure. It was an Uruk head, impaled on a spear, dried blood running down its face in rivulets, its mouth twisted into a bizarre contortion of pain and rage.

"Make yourself at home, Talion!"

Talion whipped around to see Hirgon walking into the Barrows, followed by a pair of Outcast soldiers.

"We obtained some valuable information from this one... Before he lost his head." Hirgon walked over to Talion as he motioned for the two soldiers to continue further into the Barrows. Talion set the torch he was holding into a nearby sconce and spoke quickly,

"These grunts know nothing. We're wasting precious time."

Hirgon scoffed lightly, crossed his arms and replied, "Wasting time? We have learned where they are keeping our blasting powder."

 Hirgon walked away, towards a long table set at the back of the main burial hall, and Talion called after him, "What need have I of blasting powder?"

"It's all part of the plan, my friend." Hirgon replied as he washed his hands in a bowl of water.

Talion raised a hand and said, "Whatever leads us to the Black Hand is my only concern."

Hirgon furrowed his brow and spoke, "So anxious to find the Black Hand. Then by all means, I will take you to him."

Talion and Hirgon made their way out of the Barrows quickly,, and began walking east, towards an Uruk camp.

"With any luck, the Uruks have yet to discover the secrets of the blasting powder. We will need to free my men to find out." Hirgon spoke softly, not wanting to draw the attention of the creatures of the night.

"Do you believe the blasting powder can draw out the Black Hand?" Talion inquired of his old friend.

"I pray so," Was the response.