Rise of the Dark Lords - an Elder Scrolls and Middle-earth tale

Chapter 1 - A Discovery

THE TWO YOUNG MEN ENTERED THE RUINS IN THE IRON MOUNTAINS ON A DARE.  Elboron, son of Faramir and Eowyn and Eldarion son of Aragorn and Arwen were bored and preparing to take the Ranger's oath.  They  wanted one last adventure before life separated them.  The two had been friends since early childhood and were closer than brothers.   The ruins they entered were Angband or better known as the Iron Prison.  Angband was the stronghold of the first Dark Lord of Middle-earth Morgoth and Sauron was his chief lieutenant before ascending to Dark Lord status himself.  Both young men didn't expect any problems.   Few Orcs had been seen in Middle-earth since Sauron fell and most of the evil had long since disappeared or destroyed by Gondor and Rohan.  As Elboron and Eldarion delved deeper into the ancient fortress, they passed the skeletal remains of fallen Elves and Orcs.   Broken swords, axes and armor littered the floor.   Neither expected to find any treasures or heirlooms of the fallen kingdom Gondolin.  Graverobbers had long since plundered those.

The two soon found themselves standing before the iron throne where Morgoth oversaw his war against the Elves, Men and Valar.  Long had his evil ruined Arda, but he was overthrown in a costly battle.  Sauron had tried his luck with the One Ring, but his bid for dominion failed too but the price was high to stop both Dark Lords.  Many great Elven and Kings of men fell to their doom to stop their reign of terror.  But now peace had now been found in Middle-earth and it was being enjoyed.  As Eldarion and Elboron continued their journey in Iron Prison, they began to hear a low chanting in a tongue they didn't recognize.   Deep in the bowls of Angband they soon discovered the source.   Eldarion and Elboron hid in the shadows and spied twelve figures in red cloaks around a large fire.   They were surprised when the figures began speaking the common tongue.

"Dagon we beseech you return to us.  We, the last of the Mythic Dawn beg you to come to this Earth and free us from the Dragonborn."

Eldarion and Elboron exchanged glances.  Elboron mouthed the word cultists to Eldarion and he slowly began drawing his sword.  Eldarion shook his head and urged restraint.

"Wait."

 But Elboron didn't listen.  He drew his sword and dropped to the floor and prepared to strike.  Eldarion sighed and followed his friend.  The strange cultists still didn't seem to notice the two Ranger initiates.  Elboron was mere feet away when one of the cultists spoke to them.

"Did you really think you can surprise a master battle mage?  A battle mage who serves Lord Dagon?  Let me show the power of Oblivion!"

Before Elboron and Eldarion a circle of flame appeared as the mage opened a gateway and instead of cultists, they now faced a massive black armored foe.  It was tall and sword were that of flame.  Elboron and Eldarion had never fought in a battle much less a duel before and were quickly overwhelmed.  They were bound and led before the mage who spoke.

"Did you fools really believe you could defeat a Dremora Kynreeve?  Now we have blood sacrifice to appease Dagon."

"Do you know who we are?" Elboron demanded.

"I care not who you are.  I care that I summon Dagon to liberate Tamriel from the scourge of the Dragonborn and your deaths will accomplish that."

The mage drew a dagger and pressed it to the neck of Eldarion drawing blood.  But before the blade could sink into the prince's neck an arrow struck the blade out of the mage's hand.

"What treachery is this!  I command you to show yourself" the mage roared in anger. 

He was answered with arrow in his knee.  Eldarion watched as arrows felled the cultists and a stranger mysteriously appear out of the shadows drawing a sword.  He was clad in ebony armor and his helm had twin ram horns.  The Dremora Kynreeve rushed to the newcomer and their blades clashed.  The stranger was faring much better than Eldarion and Elboron for he seemed no stranger to combat.  Elboron watched as the mage opened another gate, but another arrow caught him this time in the stomach and he howled in pain.   

"Dagon.  Please, I beg you to come and help us.  Help your humble servant."

Another figure appeared in black and fired two arrows in rapid succession severing the bindings of Elboron and Eldarion.  They recovered their weapons and rushed to assist the stranger fighting the Dremora, but he didn't seem to need their help for they watched as its head roll on the stone floor.  After killing his foe the warrior slowly approached the dying cultists now clutching his stomach.

"You removed something from High Hrothgar that doesn't belong to you.  Where is it?  Tell me what I want to know and I'll give you a healing potion."

"I'll never tell the seed of the Dragonborn much less one who aligns themselves with a Nightingale" he snarled.

"Then the Mythic Dawn dies with you."

"Dagon will return!   With the scroll he can accomplish what Alduin failed to do."

"Unfortunately for you" the other stranger answered "you won't be alive to see that day" firing another arrow into him.

"Seriously Tal?  He can't tell us anything now."

"Search his body.  He wouldn't have hid it."

Eldarion stepped over and blocked the stranger from beginning his search and shook his head.

"Move or be moved."

"Before I allow you to search the body, tell me who you are and where you come from.  I don't recognize your weapons or armor" Eldarion asked.

The stranger removed his helm and to both Eldarion's and Elboron's shock and dismay it revealed the face of a young woman around their age.  With light blue eyes, red hair and fair skin she was by far the most beautiful woman they had seen.  To Eldarion she was the human version of Luthien.

"I am Brianna, daughter of the Dovahkiin" she said proudly.  "That is Tal, a Nightingale and we are from Skyrim.  A province of Tamriel."

"I am Eldarion, son of Aragorn and my friend is Elboron son of Faramir." Motioning to the corpse "What did he steal?"

"Something that doesn't belong in your realm" Tal answered.

"You mean this" Elboron said holding it up.  "It's just a scroll.  And why would a simple scroll bring two skilled Nord warriors?"

"It's not just a scroll, it's an Elder Scroll and they are extremely powerful and in the wrong hands can cause much destruction."

"Then why does it have the black speech of Mordor written on it?"

"Mordor" Brianna said puzzled.

"Yes.  The Black Land that was once the dominion of the Dark Lord Sauron" Eldarion replied.

Brianna examined the Elder Scroll more closely and it left her with more questions.  This Elder Scroll was unlike anything in Imperial Records or the one her father had in his possession.  This was crafted by someone else.  

"This Elder Scroll was not forged by someone in Tamriel.  The material in its construction is different.  This is the purest gold I have ever seen.  Can you speak the words?"

Eldarion shook his head and answered "No, but I know someone who can."