Uruk-hai, or the journey there...

[Olmer]

31

I hate songs and music of elves. Grandfather Sam was coming into a delight from them. I hate it.
We were running a little less than an hour, and then I stopped. I stopped suddenly even for myself. I just realized that I can not run farther. Not because I've gotten tired. I realized that I should go back. Don't ask me - why. Maybe, because I could not leave in the trouble those, whose bread I have eaten. Maybe I was struck by a sad sound of snaga's song. Maybe...
It could be anything. It was wrong - to run away. It was reasonable, but it was wrong. The right thing was to return. It was scary, to the icy ache in the knees, but it was right. And I stopped.
- What are you doing? - Ghai nearly knocked me off my feet, bumping into my back.
- I'm going back, - I replied.
- Like this? - Did not understand Ghai. - Where?
- To the village - I said. - Back to the village.
- No need, - came to us Ghash. - There is no need for you to come back. We have a deed that we have to do. There's nothing and no one you can help with.
- Maybe, - I said. - Even, possibly. But I'm going back.
- You cannot return, - said Ghash. - I told you then, you won't be able to change your mind any more. We must go on further.
- Go, - I shrugged. -You do have a job. I chose another job. You yourself were explaining to me that the whole our life depends on the choices we have made. I have chosen, and you cannot deprive me of what I've chosen.
- I can, - Ghash said suddenly harshly . - You became one of us. Do you remember what happens for a violation of orders?
- Have you decided to deprive me of the name? - I asked. - Or just to kill right now? You can try. But by this you cannot prove anything to me. I want to return. I cannot run away when the children are getting killed in there.
- What children are you talking about? The snagas that remained to protect the well? Forget about them. They are only snagas. Those who have not done anything worthy to receive a name. They are a thrown off lizard tail. They destined to die today, and they will die. Why would you want to die with them? Can you at least explain?
- I cannot, - I said honestly. - And I do not want to die, I want to help them. At least with something . Even if it cost me my life. You say - snagas. How old are they?
- Who cares? - I made Ghash surprised . - Well, twelve years-eleven, what is the difference?
- They are children. Children that protect their home. I want to help them.
- I do not understand. What does that mean? Ghai, how old are you?
- Fifteen, - grimly said Ghai.
- Ghu-Urghan had also been fifteen. Uragh - eighteen. I am - twenty-two. Does it matter how many years are anyone of us? It is not the years, but your doings make you an adult. Snagas are doing what they should do. Do you think among them some is even one who had been ordered to stay there? Each of them decided it by himself. It is their choice, not yours.
- Don't you understand, - I exclaimed hotly. - They won't grow up..You said that your people want to become men, the people, as have been thought up by the Impartial One. These lads in the village won't have such a possibility. And their children and grandchildren, too, won't have . Because they won't have children. They won't have even a today's sunset. Why is the only worthy thing to do in their lives is to die? Why is that? Can you explain it to me? The endeavor of which you are so worried is the dust and emptiness in comparison with it. No one will read the books of Barad-Dur if their children thrown to the death. Who needs the remaining manuscripts of the dead, if for that the living children should be left to die? I decided to return to fight alongside them and to survive or to die with them, too. I cannot explain to you any better than that. It is my choice. And if you want to deprive me of this, you can hit me in the back when I'm going to go ...
- I'll go with him, - suddenly said Ghai.
- Another problem, - sighed Ghash. - Are you out of your mind?
- My mind is all right, - said Ghai. - He's my blood brother. He once proved that he is better than me. On this venture I went not with you, but with him. I will protect his back.
- You are... - Ghash spat. - You are ...
- Enough! - We have got startled. It's Ughluk began to speak . - Enough!- He repeated. - Shaghrat! Shut up, before you say things to be ashamed of. You will go with them.
- What for? - Ghash astonished. - Why, azogh?
- You told me once that many of us can learn from this guy. It is time for you to learn from too!
Meanwhile, the Elf deftly removed the package with Ughluk from his shoulders and unwrapped it.
- I do not understand you, azogh. - Ghash shook his head. - I rarely mind you, but now you're wrong. We all will die, won't do that task for which we are here.
- There is no time to explain everything to you, boy, - said softly Ughluk. - And I forbid you to die. You all prohibited to die. Your lives do not belong to you. Take me up, Lingol.
The elf put Ughluk's hand on his shoulder and lifted him up to his feet. For the first and the last time I saw Ughluk standing. Withered, bony, with loose, dangling arm hanging helplessly to the knee, he was horryfying.
- I - Ughluk, - he said, and, suddenly, a senile rattling has gone from his voice and it sounded powerful and authoritative. - The Ughluk! The Agh Azogh Uruuk-Hai buurtharum, agh krimpatul. You! - He fixed his clawed stare on Ghash. - You! - He moved his gaze at Ghai and Oghr. -Will go with him, - for a few moments Ughluk's stare hid its claws and caressed me, - and will protect his back to the end of his life or yours! I have spoken!
- You are wrong, azogh !!! - Ghash cried, when the speech has ended. - We're almost there, and you make us to give up everything! What for?! We die without any benefit, and who then will start this all over again ?!
Ughluk turned his stare at him, and for a while they stood in silence, looking at each other. Ghash has lowered his eyes first.
- I - Ughluk. - Repeated the Azogh buurtharum. - I have spoken.
- Yes, I understand, - said crestfallen Ghash . - You ordered, I obey. I will follow Chsham and will protect his back to the end of his life or mine. Lead, Chsham! My heart is in your hands! - And he put his fist to his chest. Where the heart is.
- My heart is in your hands, - in dull whispers responded Ghai and Oghr, also putting their fists to the chests and bowing their heads in front of me.
- Lead them up, kid, - smiled to me Ughluk. - I hope you will bring them back to me unharmed. And do not hold a grudge against Ghash, soon he will understand everything by himself.
I looked around. My companions already were taking off their harnesses and jackets with shirts, leaving to themselves only weapons and flasks with water. Ghai was drawing the bow, stepping his foot on it and having rested one of it's limb against the ground. I also took off all unnecessary things, waited until Ghai checked the string, and said: "Let's get moved!"


The elf caught up with us in about a quarter of an hour. Overtook us, as if we were not running with all our might, and stood on the road.
- What else? - Ghash asked, panting from the fast running. - Azogh changed his mind?
- No, - the crop-eared shook his head. - He sent me with you.
-Did he want something to convey?
- Yes. He said, "Foreseen, but not imprinted way, and the footpath is twisting... ."
- What does it mean?
- He did not say. He said to pass it word for word.
- Is it all? Or something else?
- He told me to go with you.
- All right, - Ghash paused. - Do you need to arm yourself?
- If a bow ... - thoughtfully said the elf.
- Give him the bow, - ordered Ghash to Ghai.
- Yeah?! What else! - Ghai got outraged. - I won't be giving my bow to any ghama. He will live without it.
- I said, give it to him! - Shouted Ghash. - In his hands the bow will be more useful.
- I'm not giving it! - Ghai scowled. - The bow was made not for him. And do not shout at me! You're not the boss any more, you can not give me the orders.
- Yeah? - Surprised Ghash. - And who can order you?
- He! - Ghai pointed in my direction. - Did you forget what the azogh said? Now he is our chief. If he will order - I'll give the bow. But you cannot order.
- He's right, - Oghr nodded. - Now Chsham decides and orders.
Ghash just threw his hand up: "Decide!"
- Give it to him, please, - I said to Ghai and asked the elf. - Do you need the dagger?
The elf caressed the bow with fingertips, checked with a nail the sharpening of the hooks, pulled out of the quiver and examined one of the arrows.
- Perhaps not, - he said thoughtfully. - I think that a little later there will be a dagger for me.
Then some time was spent on bickering over who should run ahead, because Ghai did not want to run in front of the elf. He did not trust him. I did not argue and just started to ran the first. Elf - after me and after him - all the rest.

Maybe that arrangement saved our lives. In the hanging in the motionless morning air dust couldn't see far and I saw the Royal Rangers of Gondor only when it was less than fifty steps to them. A gang of good four dozen people suddenly appeared out the back of some low hill. They were following our trail and were running towards us. Seeing us, they shouted something, on the run unsheathed their short straight swords and accelerated the pace. I threw aside the kughri's scabbard and stooped, choosing who to meet first, but a someone small inside me understood that now we will die.
And then the elves music has started. The bowstring under the elf's fingers is singing a sorrowful melody and arrows were whistling their long, sad notes. No one did not make his ran to us ...
The last ranger, lanky, bearded brute, unbelievably looking like one who bothered me at the "Deaf boar", stopped a few steps away from us. He opened his mouth, perhaps, about to say "I give up!", but at this moment in his Adam's apple went an arrow up to the feathers. The shooter stood still. On the arrow's point, which emerged from the back of the head, swayed a ridiculous little hat. The corpse stood awhile, looking past me with bulging eyes, and fell on his face. Only the dust rose up, covering beating in agony bodies with indifferent gray cloud.
- Mam-ma dear ... - came behind me a stunned whisper of Oghr.
- You ... listen.. I do not know your name, - said Ghai in a choked voice . - Would you teach me later, to do like that, with the music ...
- It's easy, - said the crop-eared elf, rising from his knee. - You just have to practice with a bow every day. Not less than an hour. For two and a half thousand years.
- A-ah ... - plaintively stretched Ghai. - Can it be done in shorter time?
- I do not know, - said the elf. - I was taught like that when I was young . Now the bow needs to be discarded, it might break with any shot. It's amazing that the bow has lasted that long.
And he went on walking, as if dancing, between the dead human bodies, eyeing them carefully. Choosing the weapon for himself.
- Why are we staying? - As if nothing happened, asked Ghash. - What ogling? Have not seen dead bodies? Today will be a lot of them. Let's run, he will catch up with us.
- Run, - I nodded numbly. We rounded the blockage of corpses and ran on, but all the time I longed to look back and see what's out there is doing the crop-eared ghama, who is able to shoot "with the music."


I do not undertake to describe of what was happening in the village. Howls and clash of arms were heard even at the edge of the basin. The main battle was going at the well, but the separate battles could be seen and between the houses. I slowed down a little, deciding what do we do now. Ghash has overtaken me.
- I am - in front! - He shouted. - Ghai - left, Oghr - right, Chsham at the back. To the well, guys! Faster! Agh!Agh! Agh!

Who fought, he knows how frightening is in a combat.
It is fearsome to stand in the ranks, when arrows, like a rain, are falling from heaven.
It is terrifying, when Rohan's cavalry with bowing peaks is rushing on you at full speed.
It is fearful to be on the wall under hailstones of siege engines.
Scary, when you climb the wall on a rickety, tottering, ready to fall down ladder towards pouring down boiling water.
But nothing compares with the feeling when you come face to face with the enemy, and in a frenzy of his eyes you can see the reflection of your own terror. If you want to survive and to win - clench the heart, so it won't rupture, cast off your feelings and do what you must do.
The war is a hard work. Many drowned in my eyes in that sunny day. I growled and howled like a beast. I spun like a peg- top and swang like a bell-clapper. I was crouching and wheeling, springing up, like a ball, and falling down back, like a stone. I handed out right and left kicks and punches.
If you would know how many times I silently gave a praise to my unknown ancestors that have managed to preserve for posterity a fierce battle skill, disguising it in capers of a fun dance. Though, what I did that day was hardly looked like a dance. My kughri was living its own life, it was jauntily whistling, or was joyfully ringing, or angrily grating, or roughly and juicy slurping. It is, as blue as the night bird, fluttered from one palm to another, drew in the air complex curves and derisively painted on human bodies red thick-lipped smiles.
Gradually the fear and anger have left me. Perhaps that little person inside me, who was so afraid of death, could not bear his own fear and died. I was perceiving the surroundings without any feelings, and worked steadily and precise, just like at one time at the waymeet's smithery. Nearby Oghr was hacking silently and efficiently. Ghay, on the contrary, was constantly shouting something in a Black speech, threatening and hoarse. Ghash somehow was even managing to give orders to snagas, who happened to fight next to us. He also yelled in the Black speech, but in a strange way I understood it.
- Stay together! - He shouted, reflecting and throwing punches. - Attack in a bunch! Got wounded one - hit the next, the wounded will be finished later!
I do not know where was the elf during the fight, but when things were getting rough for me , from somewhere the arrow was coming and I was getting a few moments of respite.

And then all of it was over. It ended at once. Suddenly. I raised the sword for another blow, and found that it's no one to hit. The next enemy fell down with a spear in the back. Behind him stood a snaga with a covering only one eye slanted face bandage . No one alive in the gray-green cloak can be seen around here.
From a narrow slit in the wall of the well came unintelligible cries and a confident voice of Ghash. In a dusty haze has emerged a crop-eared elf with a gondor's sword in the hands and, by carelessly poking someone, who fell out of the passageway, he slipped inside. Screams behind the wall increased at first, and then began to subside.
I leaned against the wall, first by the side, and then turned my back to it and slid down, sat with outstretched legs right in the dust . The body does not feel anything. Just nothing. Nearby, in two steps away, Oghr was thrashing on the ground. He was sobbing loudly and pounding the earth with his fists. Staggering, from the passage in the wall came out Ghai, he looked around, cautiously walked past Oghr and approached me.
- You're covered in blood, - I told him.
- Not mine, - he tried to wave dismissively, but only dropped kughri and sat down next to me.- You too...
I looked at myself. Indeed, I was all over covered with drying brown muck , from the soles of the boots to the tips of hair on my head.
-Not mine too, - I said and nodded at abating Oghr. - What's wrong with him?
- He has such comedown. - Ghai said, taking out a bottle with shaghu. - He does not like to kill ...
- Do you like it?
- Well, who could like it ... - Ghai took a few sips and gave me the bottle. - But at least I am not such shaky now. Only after the first time ...
- I was shaking too, - I swallowed a sip, the fiery moisture flowed in the throat like water, without causing intoxication, - when I killed the bearded in the mountains. Now I feel nothing. Just nothing. Only tired, as if after swinging a hammer in the smithy.
- Well, be glad, that like this. - Sleepily said Ghai. - Finish shaghu.
- What about Ghash and Oghr?
- Ghash is provident, he has more. - Ghai started to rise. - I will go to him. He will be interrogating the wounded. Must help.
I shuddered, remembering how had been questioned the wounded rohirrim.
Around were walking sleepy, sluggish snagas. From time to time someone of them would poke with a spear one of the bodies lying about. Sometimes after such poke would come cries.

The crop-eared elf came over, stuck into the ground the jagged sword, up to the hilt covered with blood, and lowered himself next to me .
- What are they doing? - I asked him.
- Finishing off the wounded, - he replied indifferently.
- I understand, - I shook my head. - I wanted to ask, why after everything was over?
- And what can be done with them? - The elf answered with a question . - I might be able to help to some of them. But not to all. In this heat their wounds soon got fouled. So it can be considered as a mercy.
- Mercy? - I was surprised. - I know it is a prowess to kill the enemy in a battle, but to finish off the wounded like this is an abomination.
- They won't survive anyway, - the elf smiled sadly. - There is no one to treat them and to care for them. Right now you can not explain to snagas why it is unnecessary to kill the enemies. They are killing their own fear. You've already done what you could, Halfling. You fought bravely.
- You too.
- Not worth of talking about it, - the elf shook his head. - In my life I have killed a lot more orcs than saved today. I have a long life
- Why? - I asked. - I mean, why are you saving them?
- Because one day I realized that they are our children. Our miserable, exhausted children. Morgoth is the great deceiver. He was not able to create, but was able to distort someone else's creation. When children of the deceived elves have returned to us, we greeted them with arrows. We could not do otherwise, and Morgoth knew it. He knew how unbearable for us is this living mockery. And this joke was on us, because it turned out into such a long and terrible deception. We thought that we fight against evil, but fought with our own distorted reflection. With our children.
- But they're allied with Melkor.
- Do you know the real name of Morgoth? - Surprised the elf. I nodded.
- And where else they could look for a help? They hated him as much as we do, and, perhaps, even stronger, but they wanted to live. To survive. They are not inherited from their cheated parents the eternal life, but they wanted to live that still remaining the brief one. We could help them, but we do not understand them, did not want to understand. We did not want to make the effort. We were blinded by our own pride. We had the Light, that they have lost. We pushed them into the arms of those they hated. Then a new generation came, and the beginning was forgotten because everyone really wants to forget it. But the war has remained. We fought with them, thinking that we are protecting goodness and light, but, in fact, in the chorus of Ainur we sang the song contrived by Melkor. We have been given the Light, and we squandered it on a pointless war with our own children and on trifling trinkets: stones, rings.
- Are you talking about the Rings of Power?
- Do you know about it? - This time the elf was not even surprised.
- Two of my grandfathers were in the Ringbearer's squad. One of them with Frodo Baggins has reached Orodruin crevices.
- You belong to the great race, Halfling. Woe to one, who will be misled by your look. When I saw your relatives at the Council of Elrond the Wise, I, too, had been deceived by their amusing appearance. Just like the Wise, however.
- You were at the council of Elrond? - It came my turn to be surprised.
- Yes, - nodded thoughtfully the elf. - I was in Legolas' retinue and stood at the back of his chair, when has been hold a discussion of the fate of Ardia.
- Did Legolas have the retinue? - I could not remember whether this was mentioned in the Red Book.
- Surely you don't think that the son of the Lord of Thranduil could embark on a long and dangerous journey alone? Of course, he had the retinue, and I was also in it. Only later, when the Wise have decided to send the Ring to Gondor, Legolas resolved not take anyone with him, since already it was no need in that. Mithrandir, the Grey Wizard, who bore the Ring of Fire and possessed the gift of a fiery persuasion, was a worthy companion for the prince of the Firstborn. Next to him Legolas has no one to fear.
- They nearly have got killed in Moria, - I replied. - When they meet with the Balrog.
- Balrog ... - the elf grinned. - Balrog is just a balrog. Small demon of the fire element. What could he do to Maya? Especially to the Maya, who is wearing Naria. And Mithrandir is the Maya, his power is only slightly inferior to the power of the Valar. With a word he can move mountains and make rivers stop . Even Legolas would overtake the Balrog. Not by himself only, of course, but with the help of people and the dwarf, that were there. He could. Before that he had happened to meet with these fiery creatures in the battles. But Mithrandir could simply dispel the Balrog into a smoke with just one his exhale. The whole way through Moria was just a whim of the Grey Wizard. There was a much easier way to get to Gondor. One had only to turn to the north of Rivendell, walk the Upper Pass, which was guarded by beorings, and from Carrock go down Anduin on boats to very Osgiliath. But for some reason Mithrandir wanted to go the hard way. Inscrutable are the ways of the Wise.
- Wait, - I mused. - You say "Gondor". But at the Council it was decided to take the Ring to the Mount Doom!
- So it was said to those who do not have the wisdom - The elf laughed. - The ring just cannot be left in Rivendell. The Nazgul would find out about it and Curunir the White Wizard too . If the Ring would remain in Rivendell, they could form an alliance in order to get it. The same could happen if the Ring was sent to the Grey Havens or Lothlorien. I doubt that Cirdan or Galadriel would want to keep the Ring for themselves. Thranduil did not want to. He understood that this will bring the war in the domain of the Firstborn . Of course, neither the White Wizard, nor the Nazgul, or even together they would not have enough strength to deal with us, but for it we would have to pay no small price. Already, starting from the date of creation of the world, it was shed too much of the precious blood of the Firstborn But most importantly that, in order the three other rings were able to operate at full capacity, the fourth one should have an owner. The son of the Steward of Gondor, a descendant of the King of Gondor and four of the Keepers people . Does not matter who of them would seize the Ring. The Wise forethought any outcome.
- What if the Ring had really got to Gondor?
- Then all the Nazgul's malice and the power of the White Wizard would fall on it. In fact, this is what had happened in the end.
- But the king of Gondor, had he taken a possession of the Ring, would not he be dangerous for the Firstborn? Under the influence of the Ring he could turn into a monster far more terrible and vicious than Nazgul. And more strong.
- I see, - said the elf. - You know about the Ring, but you do not know what it is.The Ring of Sauron itself is just the thing. The thing that cannot have its own will. This is what the orcs, - elf shook his head, pointing at the surrounding - called "ghr"- "the thing which is multiply the power." Air, water, fire ... - What's missing? - Suddenly he asked quickly.
- Earth, - I replied , after a little thought. - Air, water, fire and earth - four elements from which the world was created. What the Ring has to do with it?
- One ring - to determine, one ring- to foreknow, one - to inspire, and one - to connect them all, - said the elf - When ships of Númenor began to appear at the shores of Middle-earth, Sauron the Dark came to Gil-Galad and suggested an alliance against Númenoreans. Gil-Galad knew that Sauron has been a servant of Melkor, the eternal enemy of the Firstborn, and therefore refused. He had refused then. But the númenoreans ships continued to arrive, they were building their cities and fortresses in the Middle-earth, they are competing with us in all things, and it became clear that they want to own all of the Middle-earth. Would be anywhere in their world a place for us? And how the Great Lords of the Firstborn might acknowledge the supremacy of the human King? But he did not want to concede to their power. Numenor was strong with courage of its soldiers, knowledge of the wise and determination of the rulers. The war with them would create rivers of blood of the Firstborn. The precious blood. And Sauron was the Maya, the same as Curunir and Mithrandir, who came later . His power and knowledge was hard to ignore. He served once Melkor, but then Morgoth had already been driven out of this world. Shunned by us. And then Gil-Galad agreed to the union. The union, which would have merge the might of the Maya and the power of firstborn's magic. An invaluable knowledge about the world and the ability to change it .
- So it was the union, - I said. - And the Ring of Earth went to Sauron .
- Yes, - nodded the elf. - As the earth combines the remaining elements, so the ring of Earth united all the others, linking them in a single chain. Four Ringbearers gained power over the mind and the will of mortals, over all, who wore the lesser rings, and therefore gained the power over all Middle-earth. The force, which was capable to turn the audacity of Numenor into dust.
- Are the lesser rings - the rings of people and dwarves? - I asked. - Nine and seven?
- Yes, - confirmed the elf. - They have been forged first. Artful were Eregion's goldsmiths and a considerable knowledge they have got from Sauron, but, in addition to the knowledge, an experience is needed . The earliest, lesser rings had helped to get it. The Seven rings we have presented the Dwarves Kings and have stopped the lengthy feud between the two races, which began some long time ago over the Nauglamir. There was only a memory of it. Since then, the children of the First Smith Aule were always fighting on our side. The Nine Rings Sauron gave to people. He chose the mighty kings and wise magicians to multiply their strength and wisdom. None of us couldn't understand, then, why he chooses only those who is old and close to the edge of the life.The Firstborn does not understand the human fear of death. Only many years later, we learned the secret.The Rings extended, if not a life, then an existence to those people, and for that, many of them were ready for anything. This is how Sauron created the Nazgul - the faithful servants of his Ring.
- But if all of it was true, as you say, the Nazgul had to submit to all, who wear the Rings of the Elements.- I said.
- So how it was at first, - said the elf,- as long as they have not been Nazgul. But Sauron deceived us. He altered the spell which was written on the Ring by masters of Eregion , and put on Ardia a new spell. He woved into his spell stones of the Mount Doom's slopes, fire of its bowels, poisoned air above it, and poisoned vapors of its streams.
- That's why the inscription on the Ring was in elven runes, but in the language of Orcs, - I guessed. - He changed the inscription that was before.
- You're right, Halfling, - the elf smiled sadly. - He turned to the language of Orcs, because in it many of the words have not one, but several meanings. Often these meanings are linked in a very whimsical ways. He found a word that meant not only the "link", but also "force" and "order". He even had to come up with a written language for the orcs to be able to write a word. However, this is just one of his dastardly deeds. It can not be compared with the Ring.
- You said that the Ring - "ghr", the "thing, multiplying the power," - I mused. - Then it multiplied Sauron's ability to command.
- After the new spell every his desire, the most fleeting thought, could be the order to anyone whom his will could reach. Orders that are impossible to disobey. Only the owners of three other rings can protect themselves from this. - The elf shook his head. - But if it was only that. After all the Rings were linked into a single chain.The Ring of Air increases the ability to make wise decisions, the Ring of Water - the ability to providence, the Ring of Fire gave the gift of persuasion. Sauron was getting all of this too. In lesser way than the owners of these rings, but still ...
- And then you went to the war with him?
- Not right away. It is hard to fight an enemy that can read your thoughts. Through the Ring Sauron can penetrate into the minds of other Ringbearers. Not Galadriel, nor Cirdan or even Gil-Galad could resist him alone. He is the Maya.
- Wouldn't be simplier, just remove the Rings? - I was surprised. - And destroy? If the smiths of Eregion had made them, they could destroy. The chain would be broken and Sauron would have remained with nothing.
- It was not so easy to do, as you think, Halfling . The rings were made for opposing Numenor. But the Numenoreans have not disappeared. And the first thing what Sauron did after the spell changed, he with the army of Mordor Orcs attacked Eregion.
The knowledge about the rings was lost along with those who made them. We had to wait. The Wise knew that the Kings of Numenor and Sauron the Dark will be too cramped in the Middle-earth. We were waiting for them to clash and to weaken each other. Besides, for someone, who once donned the Great Ring, it was almost impossible to part with it. The stronger and wiser the ringbearer was, the more difficult it was for him. The Rings were given a great strength to their owners. The greater was the power and the will of the owner - the more intense was an influence of the Ring. Of all mortals only Bilbo Baggins was able to give the Ring to another, but he just could not resist the will of Mithrandir. Without Mithrandir, without the aid of his destructional will, multiplied by Naria , Bilbo would not do it. Nobody could.
- My grandfather wore the Ring of Sauron, - I replied. - And he gave it out. By himself. Nobody forced him. The keeper, Frodo Baggins, only asked him about it.
- Yes? - Astonished the elf. - I've never heard of it. If this is true, then you lead your race from the greatest of mortals. Only two were able to give belonging to them the Great Ring. Cirdan and Gil-galad. But only Cirdan managed to give it at the will. Gil-galad was forced to do it by a death. And up to his last moments he did not want to take off the Ring. I saw it with my own eyes.
- You've seen?!
- If I was then at least five steps closer ... - sighed the elf, not paying attention to my exclamation. - Then the Ring would be given to me, not to Elrond. I still remember the expression on Gil-Galad's face , when he took Vilia off the finger. But he remembered that the ring should be given voluntarily. If it will be removed from his dead body, then calamities for the Firstborn will be immeasurable. So he did it. Elrond was closest to him. That's funny. Elrond - the half-blood, for whom to carry the sword for Gil-Galad has been the greatest honor, has received a gift, worthy only of princes and became one of them. The First among them.The grimace of fate worthy of Morgoth.
- I do not understand, - I thought. - Why the Ring or the Rings had to be given out? What's the mystery in here?
- No mystery in here, - the elf shrugged. -The Rings are kind of memorizing their owners. The one who owns the Great Ring had to put it on the finger on the next owner. Then it would serve him well, as true as with the first owner. But if this is not done, then the worst would have happened. The Ring would just continue to give a strength to everyone, who approached it. Whoever wore it - more, the one who just had been close by - less.
- So what? - I was surprised. - What's so horrible about it?
- Everything, - said the elf.- The Rings, that have not been given, were not simply multiplied the power of those, who wore them, they had the same influence on anyone, who happened to be nearby. The one who was getting the Ring of Sauron, was beginning to feel that all of his concealed fears, of which he ashamed to admit even to himself, all his hidden desires, that that he even not aware of, suddenly were coming to him as a command, as a foreign oppressive will, which is impossible not to comply. And he is getting the commands from the thoughts of others, too. Only weaker. It made mad the prince of Gondor Isildur and many others after him. The same thing was also with the lesser rings. They often changed owners. It was enough to break the rule just once, and each subsequent owner of the ring was getting into a distorted world. The more owners that ring changed, the worse it was getting. So this is how other nazgul appeared and how the dwarves developed an immoderate greed .
- And you knew about all of this right from the beginning? - I asked.
- No. But we learned and understood with time.
- So why you have not broken the chain? Why no Cirdan, or Galadriel, or Elrond, why no one threw his ring into the mouth of the Mount Doom when the battle with Sauron has ended ? In fact, there were none to stop them.
- Throw it in the Orodruin and break the chain? What for? Sauron was defeated, Numenor, or rather what was left of it, from an enemy has become an ally. What could threaten the Firstborn? The son of the King of Gondor, who seized Ardia? It's a pity that nobody could prevent it from happening and Elrond did not know what he has got as a gift. Cirdan, same as Gil-Galad, overstrained himself in the battle with the will of Sauron and barely survived. Galadriel has not been at the Orodruin, but even if she was there, she would hardly be able to move. Believe me, even with the united will of the three great Ringbearers was not easy to resist the will of the Maya and the strength of his ring. It was barely enough to deprive him of the ability to use magic in a combat and get to fight as a regular soldier. The Firstborn paid the great price for the victory. The heavy and terrible price.
Why we had to give up everything and to destroy by ourselves what have been created with the help of the Rings, and what could be created in the future? Sauron was cast down. His will was broken in the fight with Gil-Galad, Galadriel and Cirdan. He had lost his ring, and with it lost attached to its power. He became so weak that he had lost even his appearance. From that day he could be present in Arda only as a clot of fire, but it was not enough for the actions . He has not been able to subjugate no one ever.
- What about Nazgul? He had Nazgul.
- Or rather, they had him. It is an unenviable fate for the eternal Maya to be an advisor to mortals who drag out a miserable existence of ghosts. Nazgul could be ordered through the rings, but without Ardia Sauron, who lost his power and will, could not supervise them. Nobody could. For this someone had to own Ardia. But anyone who took possession of the Ring after Sauron, was too quickly becoming a wretched madman. Who knows what would have happened to the Firstborn, if the Wise not found a way out.They found the Keepers people - the little mortals, who were interested in nothing outside of their world. The Keepers did not aspire to the power, and it was the most important. When such mortal would receive the Ring, he uses it for his small pleasures, not striving for something bigger than that. And the world came into a balance. Only occasionally the Nazgul were disturbing it, but they were being contained fairly quickly, each time in no more than one mortal's year or two.
- A birthday gift. - I said sadly. - Our people do not give presents for those who have birthdays. He gives himself the gifts to the guests. If I would recieve from someone's birthday a ring that grants wishes, I would have remembered it all my life.
- What are you talking about? - The elf distracted from his memories.
- About nothing. - I replied. - I just remembered something. Did your Wise think about the Keepers themselves? About into what the ring was turning them?
- Do you think that the balance of the world is not worth of this small sacrifice? Mortals are mortal. Does it matter what happens to the life of a mortal, if he will die anyway. Besides, no one forced them to wear the Ring. They used it on their own will. But the chain was closed, and the Great Three could improve the world.
- Apparently, - I became disgusted. - If the Ring has got to Gondor, a war would have started in there, which has begun any way, and its new owner would quickly become insane. If it had come to one of my kind, - I hesitated, - it would be the same with him, as had happened to the other Keepers. But what if it would fall into the hands of the Orcs in Mordor? Or, then worse, the Nazgul?
- Then the war would begin in Mordor. The will of the Three would be enough to break the will of any new Ardia's owner, as it was once had happened with Sauron. Let along any man or orc. Even Saruman, if he would receive Ardia, could not withstand: after all, now among the Three was Mithrandir. But if the Nazgul have got the Ring , the most likely would happened what had happened. They would throw it in the Mount Doom.
- What for? - I was surprised. - I understand that Sauron could not use his ring again ?
The elf nodded.
- So, the Nazgul were looking for it for themselves. Why would they want to throw it in the fire?
- They thought it would make them free. They felt the power of the Ring, but knew that none of them could own it. They decided to get rid of it in order to get rid of the influence of an alien to them will. They were right. The fire of the Mount Doom burned Ardia, Nazgul became free. From everything.


The elf could be prolonging the memories of his eternal life for a long time, but we were interrupted. Ghash with Ghai showed up, both with smiles from ear to ear, and excitedly began to tell me about how well we have done that we came back
Almost all of young snagas got perished, but they laid down the full ordo of rangers, in the number of two hundred people. Most important that now the whole desert will know about this fight and that the King of Gondor ordered to destroy the wells. Now the rangers will be tracked down prior, in the mountains, and none of them for sure won't penetrate into the depth of Mordor alive. Also Ghiryzhsh Shin-Nagh came in, leading a small gang of orcs, outfited with weapons of Gondor. He stood on his knees in front of me and for a long time was saying something in a quick patter. Ghash was translating.
I was feebly nodding and saying something in response.Then there was a general wash. We washed off from ourselves the blood of defeated . I was given the opportunity to do it first.
All this I did in a distracted state, I was thinking about what had been said by the crop-eared ghama.
I came to my senses closer to the sunset, when I saw a familiar bactr, which two snagas were led by the reins to the well . The baktr was forced to kneel and lay on stomach, and then from his back was removed a gray buurgha bundle. They put it in the dust and carefully unwrapped. In the bundle laid the body . The body of Ughluk. He was dead.