The Death of Akallabêth
The two black robed angmarim scouts walked slowly towards the gates of Annumnias, they kept their hoods close to their faces as they walked. The gate guards grunted their acceptance of the scouts and let them into the once great city. The scouts walked ahead, keeping their heads low as they walked past the other anmarim, one scout turned the other and spoken in a harsh whisper.
“This has to be the most stupid idea you’ve ever come up with, Isil!”
“Shush! If you want Akallabêth to know we are here, then you speak louder, Zelderan!”
Isilorbor and Zelderan were under the hoods of their robes, wearing black veils over their faces and darkening their features with ash. They moved quickly across the city, stopping only to get past the gate guards and head towards the rangers camp. Two Angmarim archers waited behind a pillar for a careless warden to poke his head out, when Isilobor and Zelderan took their chances and killed them quickly, snapping their necks and making it clear they were friends with the wardens.
They stopped only to tell the wardens to send a signal to the Defenders waiting on the Isiland of Tunnidr. A volley of fire arrows leaped into the air and the Defenders quickly rushed into their boats and made for the tower of Tyl Annun.
It took both Defenders and Isilorbor and Zelderan to get to where they were needed to go. They crossed a bridge and Isilorbor and Zelderan nodded to each other and walked into a store house. They found a few rope ladders and quickly killed the quartermaster. They took two the ladders and threw them down, they tied other ladders together to make it long enough for the Defenders to climb on. Time seem to slow and Zelderan kept watch and Isilorbor helped the Defenders into the tower’s courtyard.
They kept silent and Isilorbor ran to Zelderan.
“It is time. Lead the Defenders into the tower and burn everything you can. Then punch forward and draw Akallabêth’s men after you, open his defences from the inside and the wardens will cover you.” Isilorbors voice reveald none of the emotions he felt at this hour.
“What about you?” Zelderan asked with great concern.
“I am staying to kill Akallabêth, do not wait for me, Understood?”
The two friends looked at each other for a long moment. They clasped forearms and nodded to one another.
“Good luck!”
“You too, brother.”
It took an hour for the burning of Tyl Annun to take place. The Angmarim saw the Defenders run from the flames and chased after them, hoping to catch them on two fronts, until the wardens threw themselves into the battle.
The battle was long and bloody, the dead and wounded were added up, but this battle would not win the war.
Isilorbor threw off his angmarim robes and drew his sword, he looked at the elf Elianiour, who held both sceptres and started to place them in the ground and started to chant. From the flames and darkness, Akallabêth stood with folded arms and witnessed the burning of his tower with eerily calm on his face, but inside, a black rage was driving him mad.
“Captain….This is an unexpected visit” Akallabêth snarled darkly, his back to Isilorbor.
Isilorbor watched past the flames and stood facing Akallabêth.
“It ends tonight, Akallabêth.” Isilorbor said simply.
Akallabêth slowly turned around and faced Isilorbor, the darkest look no moral man could give.
“It does, and it shall be I who stand victorious, Ventris, not you.”
Both drew their blades and tighten their grips, their eyes never leaving the others face.
Then they both charged.
Time slowed to a crawl as light and dark faced each other in battle, this duel would decide the fate of Eriador, for good or for evil.
“Courage and Honour!” Isilorbor yelled and their blades met like a thunderclap.
It was like two gods of war battling for control of the heavens, their swords blocking and attacking each attack. They ducked, waved, feinted, jumped and rolled. All the while the fight raged on, stones from Akallabêth tower fell as well as burning balls of fire around the duellist.
While the battle raged, Elianiour sat crossed leg and began to chant in an old elven tongue. The sceptres start to glow and raise into the air, circling around her slowly. They started to leak a pale blue mist from the ends, but it would take time for the spell to cast.
Akallabêth ducked a attack from Isilorbor that would have taken his head off and brought his blade across Isilorbor’s side, sparks danced off Isilorbor’s armour and he yelled in pain. Akallabêth grabbed Isilorbor’s neck and lifted him from the ground, grinning darkly and threw him hard down and up again, slamming him like he was nothing and cast him into the side of the tower, watching fiery stones shower Isilorbor.
Isilorbor choked and coughed loudly, his throat feeling like it was on fire and slowly pushed himself to his knees and hands, his elven sword at Akallabêth’s feet.
He grinned and kicked the blade to Isilorbor.
“I shall kill you like I killed your forsaken son.”
Isilorbor choked again and noticed spat blood from his mouth, looking at Akallabêth with eyes alive with rage.
“There is no defeating me, Isilorbor. Only death shall great you.”
Isilorbor pushed himself to his feet, taking his blade in his hand and pointed the tip at Akallabêth.
“Then come and find your judgment waiting.” Isilorbor said defiantly.
Akallabêth. Laughed darkly and throw himself at Isilorbor, his blade lashing out at him as Isilorbor threw his blade up to defend himself. Their blades rang loudly like a forge asters hammer, their grunts and their wounds the forges boons.
The dawn was breaking on the tower, Elianiour watched the duel and feared she was too late, then saw Akallabêth own’s sceptre start to leak the pale blue mist and filled their lungs with air and shouted.
“Agannûlun ugruda ki Akallabêth, Ki-yâdi Bâ ki-nakhahê! Ki-yadahê êphalak!” She shouted, and with that, Akallabêth fell.
Before the words were spoken, Akallabêth brought Isilorbor’s blade to the ground and lashed his own across his chest, sending Isilorbor to the ground, his wounds great and his body almost broken. He had raised his sword to finish the captain of men when the words tore Akallabêth soul from his body.
“No!” He roared and shrieked as he fought for his soul to remain in the body. Isilorbor saw his chance and grabbed his blade and pushed the entire sword deep into Akallabêth’s heart, the blade spat out of Akallabêth’s back, but he seemed not to notice. Isilorbor twisted the blade and Akallabêth noticed, looking down slowly as dark blood oozed from his mouth.
“I told you I would stick a blade in your heart.” Isilorbor grinned and held Akallabêth in the edge of his sword. Akallabêth spat blood in Isilorbor’s face as the pale mist started to consume him.
“You may have killed me, Ventris…But the war for you shall never end….I shall see you again…And I shall be free of death’s cold embrace, and I shall destroy you…”
Akallabêth’s last words seem to echo as the mist dissolved his body and the sword that held in his chest, Isilorbor stood and watched the mist pass by him and stood defiant in the face of his wounds.
“You would have to escape captivity… Only to face annihilation…I shall be waiting…” The sun kissed Isilorbor’s skin as the mist rose towards the sky and disappeared.
The last thing Isilorbor remembered was turning to Elianour, seeing the sceptres vanish into dust and said.
“The war is over.”
And darkness took him.
