The Dungeon of Dol Guldur
The rats scurried into their holes
as the light shone in through the
doorway. Gandalf, the end of his staff aflame with a pale blue
light, stepped
into the dungeon of Dol Guldur.
He silently walked down a long hallway passing
great iron doors cut into
the walls at regular intervals. The doors were all the same.
They all had a
small, square window around head level and a large unusually shaped
keyhole in
the center.
As he walked down the hall Gandalf quickly
glanced into every window.
Most of the cells were empty and some contained only the remains of
their
prisoners but in a few the prisoners were still alive. Finally
the wizard
arrived at the end of the hall and there in the last cell he found
someone he
had thought lost forever. Gandalf touched the door with his staff
and said in
a commanding tone:
"Edro."
There was a click and the door swung inwards. The dwarf within
looked up at
Gandalf, shielding his eyes from the light of the staff.
"Can it be?" he whispered to himself, his
eyes beginning to adjust, "It
is! Tharkûn, how did you find me?" the dwarf asked Gandalf with
more surprise
in his voice than happiness.
"I did not intend to, I can assure you Thráin,"
replied Gandalf, "but I
have nonetheless."
"I have something important to tell you Tharkûn,"
said Thráin, "I will
not be leaving this foul dungeon, I am too close to death," he paused
for a
second as if in pain, "I need you to do something for me."
"I will try Thráin," said Gandalf,
"what is it you need me to do?"
Thráin pulled out of his pocket a silver
key with a long barrel and
intricate wards and he also pulled out a map.
"Take these to my son," he said, "so that
he might have a chance at taking back what is rightfully ours."
"I will do as you ask Thráin, I will
give Thorin the map and the key. Come to think of it, I may even help him in his quest."
"I thank you Tharkûn, may Mahal watch
over you forever." And with that
Thráin died in the dungeon of Dol Guldur.
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