Artifact Creation - Arc rise of the light kingdom

Back in the verdant region of Nurn I see the orcs working alongside humans. They build and develop together, for my war effort. Walking through the streets of the fortress I smell meat in the air, markets have opened, trade is flourishing between orcs and humans.

I see children, previously slaves running and playing in the street, the laughter, this joyful atmosphere fills me with joy. I have accomplished something, I have given what I can now call my people a roof over their heads, food to eat, I have brought them security, I have established an understanding between orcs and humans.

This first accomplishment gives me hope, everything rests on me, I must win and defeat Sauron.

Continuing my way towards the fortress, I meet more and more soldiers, some are training, others are discussing together, a good atmosphere prevails within the ranks. In spite of this good atmosphere I feel a social barrier between orcs and humans, although they are reconciling and working together, we cannot erase the past in a few weeks.

I hope that time will allow them to socialize and not to differentiate themselves too much, the orcs have an appearance that could be described as disgusting, although my magic strengthens them and improves their appearance, it is still scary, and I can understand the resentment in humans eyes.

This is something I will have to find a solution to in the future. Continuing my way I pass by several training camps, the soldiers seem ready and determined. The orcs teach the men to fight, while the men share their knowledge and emotions. Many captains are also present and help especially the orcs who being fierce warriors don't really have a particular fighting style.

Watching the life of the city develop has given me many ideas for the future.

While I'm thinking about these ideas, I quickly arrive at the fortress stronghold, I enter inside and go to the Great Hall.

I arrive then in front of the doors of the latter, I knock and after some time I hear a sweet voice

" Come in ".

I open the door and see Idril sitting on a chair around a large table, she is conversing with two orcs and Baranor, probably about the development of the city, or the army.

My entrance cuts short the discussion, Idril turns to me stands up and throws herself at me taking me in her arms.

"Talion, I was worried sick, I was sure you were going to succeed in conquering Seregost, but what would have happened if you, if you hadn't come back" she said, raising her clear eyes, looking into mine.

"Thanks for worrying about me, Idril, but you know I'm not going to disappear, I'm kind of immortal" I interrupted her, putting my hand on her head and reassuring her.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine, well to change the subject now that Seregost is taken we have to step up a level".

Then, I cut short the discussion and move to my chair at the end of the table, once seated Baranor speaks.

"Talion, if I may say so, I think we need to reinforce ourselves for the next few weeks or months, we are moving too fast, the men are tired and Sauron forces are still numerous and powerful, and that's without counting the Nazgûls".

"It's true, we must first develop, taking Seregost is important to cut off any trade flow between Sauron's allies and the latter, moreover, we must strenghten Seregost" I answer turning to Idril

"We have secured a supply of food, we will be able to feed all our men, but we need time to strengthen ourselves, capturing Seregost will weaken us, we are susceptible to attacks from Sauron and now from his allies" Idril tells me

" Regarding the weaponry Baranor, are we properly equipped? We need weapons, and lots of them".

"Unfortunately Talion, we are short of supplies, with the liberation of the slaves our resources have decreased a lot and the supplies present in the fortresses are not enough to allow each man to be equipped with weapons and armor, we need mining resources like iron, copper and silver".

"In Seregost, many mines are present but are little or poorly exploited, we would have to set up a network, first exploit the mines efficiently with correct tools, then transport the resources to the different foundries that we will have to build, then the creation of workshop to create weapons and armors. I will create plans for the construction. Idril I would like you to supervise the development of this plan".

" Well Talion, going back to the enemy forces, we should beware of Gondor, even the elves, they-they have abandoned us, left us to die, they are greedy and thirsty for lands" clutching her fist she continues " As soon as they see an opportunity, they will pounce on it, we mustn't forget, we have men in our ranks, I'm afraid they are corruptible, I'm afraid of their treachery "

"Idril, look at me," I say staring into her eyes, losing myself in their ocean-like blue color, but this ocean is raging, I feel her anger, "Calm down, Idril, you can trust me, we'll take care of them when the time comes, now you're right about everything you've said. I'm going to spend the next few months not only training, but also building equipment that will allow us to ensure the loyalty of the men".

"Talion, I'm not sure that we need to control the minds of the men w-we are".

I immediately interrupt Baranor " Baranor, we put our interests first, first of all, we're not going to control them, we're just going to make them loyal, that's important for the future, to create something strong and solid".

"Okay Talion, I-I apologize" he replied, lowering his eyes.

"Don't worry, everyone can make mistakes, in a few days I will create rings, rings of power like Sauron's, but they will be free, I will give one to you and one to Idril, for now I want you to strengthen our positions and train the army".

"Very well Talion" said Baranor making a military salute

" This meeting is closed, I'm going to work on the rings now, Idril, Baranor, see you later".

"Wait Talion"

I am interrupted by Idril who looks at me with puppy dog eyes

"Yes?"

"Stay with us for dinner, we have never eaten together and don't spend much time together" she tells me while rubbing her hands nervously.

Seeing her behavior I give in to her request, after all it does me no harm to spend time with my generals.

"To tell the truth, it's been a year since I've eaten, since I've been a specter in reality, I don't have the needs of a normal human".

Idril's eyes brighten up immediately and she expresses herself with a joyful tone "Great, I'll tell the cooks immediately".

And... there she goes *sigh*

" Hahaha, it's a real arrow "

" It's so true Baranor, by the way, where is the dining room? "

"Follow me Talion"

-----

As we walk down the hallways Baranor turns to me, stops, and says, "Thank you, Talion, thank you for everything you've done".

"I only did my duty and it was in my interest, you don't have to thank me".

"I want to, furthermore, you managed to change Idril, you know, she was very fierce and too manly for a girl, she was not the type to discuss with everyone and show her feelings, she appreciates you very much, I hope you will take care of her "

Listening to him, I stop for a second, just enough time for my mind to register before saying somewhat embarrassed "I like her too, but I don't know if I could take care of her in the future, I haven't known her for that long"

"You know Talion, I know how she feels and I hope she can finally find her happiness, anyway, here we come" he said pushing the doors of the dining room leaving me to think about his words.

-----

The dinner was pleasant, we had the opportunity to exchange on many subjects, I learned more about Baranor, Idril, their lives their passions, their ideas for the future. I needed a moment of relaxation like this one, since I'm in this world I had very little rest, it's time I finish with Sauron to find a glimpse of peace.

After a well deserved night's rest, I headed to the forge of the fortress to create some artifacts.

I have for objective the creation of rings, one for Idril, one for Baranor, and others which will be useful later.

Once arrived at the forge I am immediately guided by a man, I retrieve a few kilos of resources, gold, silver, platinum, another rarer mineral available in very small quantities but which allows to increase the magical power of runes, tungsten, and black steel from Morgul.

Preparing my tools, I indicate to several blacksmiths on the spot to help me in my task, they will be in charge of maintaining the fire at high temperature, and to bring me the resources when I ask for it.

First step, I heat the black morgul steel, I work it to make it more moldable, then I strike it in the shape of a ring. I incorporate different metals, first silver to strengthen it, then platinum and gold. I continue my work skillfully, striking the metal while incorporating the metals in small amounts. After some time, the ring takes shape, then comes the most delicate part, I infuse my magic and shape it in my image. My hammer becomes spectral and each blow releases a huge amount of magic that is incorporated into the metal of the ring.

Paying attention to every detail, I add metals to give it a more elegant shape, then add tungsten around the edge of the ring. I continue to strike the ring while inscribing runes on it with my magic.

I wish that this ring strengthens her, that it gives her access to a more powerful magic, that it enlarges her magical capacities its regeneration. It will allow her to use new elements like black magic, and it will give her a permanent link with me, of contact but also, when we fight together we will be stronger. But the most important aspect of this ring will be its evolutionary aspect, currently Idril can progress thanks to the power I gave her. This ring will amplify the power I gave her and her ability to progress.

After inscribing the runes, I continue to forge the ring and assemble the runes together, so that they can be interlocked.

Once this is done, I cool the ring gradually with my ice magic, then once it is cooled, everything is finished, the ring is ready to work.

This process is quite tiring, but having a very important magic pool, I am not bothered by it, so I continue my work and forge a ring for Baranor.

This one will have the same properties, however I won't include a link between us for obvious reasons, and I focus this ring power to close combat, be it hand to hand, swordsmanship etc... It will certainly allow access to magic in general, but the strength of this ring lies in its special ability. This is the first time I've stepped out of my comfort zone and tried to create a ring of this type. This ring will allow Baranor to improve his fighting style, he will refine it, the more he fights, the more he will master the art of the sword. Moreover this ring will allow Baranor to copy, although slowly, the fighting style of his opponent, the more he will fight, the more he will improve.

This ring was harder to make because of the poor quality of the material at my disposal and the complexity of the task. This ring is not especially hard to make, it's just that being a new style of creation I have to do it differently.

The first attempt was unsuccessful, the ring was imperfect, it does not allow to copy the style of the opponent, but to sharpen the senses which is completely different from what I wanted to do. Thinking about it for a while, an idea came to me, the possible reason of this kind of mutation comes maybe from the incapacity of the rune to perform the requested action. I then try again, inscribing runes is a bit like coding but much more advanced and complex, I thus change some lines of the inscription of my rune. Then, I create the rune, it will grant the eyes of the user the anility to see the world more clearly and slowly, the eyes will then be able to follow the movements of the opponent and copy the style of the latter as the fight progresses.

After an hour of work, the ring is finally finished, and after testing, the rune finally works. I discovered a new condition to the runes. The rune in question, must have some kind of intermediary to work, until now the intermediary was magic, my power for example, works thanks to magic and my status of specter. Here, the intermediary is the eyes.

After this successful attempt, I don't have much material left, in fact, just enough for the creation of a last artifact. An artifact of long distance teleportation.

I need resources, lots of resources, especially good resources, and I'm attracted to mithril. An artifact of teleportation, linked to the Palantiri, will allow me to access one of the mithril reserves in khazad-dum.

I then create a thinner ring, whose only property is to grant teleportation to the viewed place, and I insist on the word viewed, I need to know where it is, thanks to the magic that is the intermediary.

Once the process is finished, I finally have this little ring that I slip on my little finger.

Then I take out my palantiri and command it to look in the direction of Khazad-dum, immediately, I feel a great dark power in these places, much more powerful than the Balrog that I defeated, then I narrow my search and I finally fall on one of the dwarf reserves.

A small room in the mountain, filled with wealth, gold, precious metals, but especially mithril, although in small quantities, it is enough for me.

Before teleporting I realize a problem, how to store all of this? I don't have any means of storage that would allow me to take all these metals and teleport with them.

Realizing my situation, I go to the master of the forge and ask him

"Hey, old man, do you still have any of the materials and precious metals that you provided me with?"

"I'm afraid I can't help you my lord, we've run out of metals, the next batch from Seregost should arrive in a week"

"Okay, put some aside, I need it, I'll come back next week".

"As you wish my lord"

-----

Once Talion has finished forging his rings, he goes in search of Baranor and Idril.

Thanks to the links he has with them, it is easy for him to find them. He then finds Baranor organizing the city's defenses with Aldamir.

Talion then starts the discussion

"Baranor, is everything going well?

Baranor turns to Talion, smiles and says "Everything is going well Talion, thanks to your instructions, Idril has gone to set up the mines in the north, we should receive the first batch in a week, as for me, as you can see I'm preparing the defenses in case of an attack, we were discussing the defenses with Aldamir" he says pointing to the Gondorian soldier.

"Talion" said Aldamir nodding his head in greeting to Talion

"Are you fine Aldamir" said Talion, watching the man.

"Yes, I'm training the soldiers, they're motivated, we're ready to split the orc and take back Minas Ithil !"

"That's good, we'll need your courage and your men for the assault" confirmed Talion, though he was wary of the man.

"Baranor, if I came, it is primarily to give you this ring, you will know its capabilities when you put it on, may it help you in the war to come" I tell him, rummaging in a leather pouch and handing him the ring.

"Talion, I don't know how to thank you for what you are doing, I accept it gladly, I will make good use of it " he said before putting it on his finger.

When he put it on, immediately, his eyes shone for a few seconds, filled with power and knowledge before becoming normal again.

Aldamir, cunning and devious, quickly realized the ring's potential, and greedily saw the power it gave Baranor. Almost instantly, he thought as he had never thought before. Then, in a flash of insight, he remembers having seen other rings like this one in Talion's pouch.

Driven by greed he said to Talion

"Rings? Like the ones in the legends? From what I've seen Talion, you have others, it would be in everyone's interest that you reward the most valiant warriors of this army before the war with this type of ring, we could all benefit from it".

"I'm not sure, these rings are powerful, you have to be mentally strong enough to withstand their power, they could drive their holders mad, they could increase their desires tenfold" said Talion suspicious of Aldamir's character.

"Yes, they could, or they could not, it is for the common good to share them, at least to those who are able to resist them, I am the perfect example, isn't that right Baranor" he said asking for Baranor's approval

"I, I don't think you should take this power lightly, you are a very good friend, and a very good soldier, a good captain too, but the decision is up to Talion".

Talion, not being fooled and seeing the greed coming out of Aldamir answered him in a dry tone " No, Aldamir, I cannot entrust you with this ring, however, you are right about the fact that it would strengthen us, that is why I entrust it to you Baranor, I know that you are a good judge of people, give it to someone deserving and pure, someone loyal to our cause" then he hands the defective ring, the first attempt to create Baranor's ring, to Baranor.

This ring, while not possessing the intended power, is still interesting and functional.

"I will prove myself worthy of the task" says Baranor taking the ring and putting it safely in his armor.

Then after seeing and modifying some of Baranor's plans for the defense, Talion goes in the direction of Idril which is in the region of Seregost.

-----

The road was not long for Talion, not wishing to use his long-distance teleportation artifact, he teleports over short distances using his power.

Then he stops at a camp at the edge of a mountain, where he finds Idril talking with several orcs, probably to set up the transport network, or to manage the mine.

Idril seeing him, immediately stops her conversation and runs to him. When she reaches him, she says

"Talion, what are you doing here, I wasn't expecting your visit, you should have warned me, I would have dressed up for the occasion and prepared a reception".

"No need for all that, you know I'm simple when it comes to this kind of thing, I prefer efficiency, if I came it was to give you a ring "

"A-a ring?!" she said surprised and agitated making a slight jump back blushing a little

She then goes into a monologue "Could it be that you're asking me to marry you, no impossible it's too early, what should I say, I, I don't know, I mean, it's not that I refuse, on the contrary I'm even agreeing-no, that's not what I meant, well, no, I, I "

"Huh? Um, no, I just want you to become stronger, remember I said i would give you one, it's a gift to help you progress, I wouldn't want anything to happen to you, it's not that I don't want to marry you, uh, anyway, take this ring" Talion said, a little surprised at the progression of the situation, holding the ring out to Idril

"Uh?" she says confused, then accepts the ring silently, with readable disappointment

"Um, Idril, how about dinner sometime? Just the two of us, we could talk, I would like to have your help in several projects and especially your opinion "

Hearing Talion's proposal, Idril immediately becomes cheerful again

"YES! er- yes I accept Talion, with pleasure, it's fixed, don't go back on your word!"

" Y-yes of course " he confirms

Then the two discuss the progress of the project and the different steps to be implemented.

Talion finishing the distribution of the rings decides to stay with Idril while waiting for the delivery of metals to the forge, he decides to start his magical training, he is joined by Idril from time to time who wants to learn more and progress with him.

A week went by and Talion returned to Nurn in order to forge new artifacts.

-----

This chapter is the biggest I've ever written, I hope you'll like it.I told myself that bigger chapters were more interesting, I don't post a lot because I have a lot of personal projects that need attention, I'm at the end of my second year of college, it's a two year degree and I have to register for a third year of study in another college, moreover I have to revise my license so my time is limited. But I plan to post more and more chapters, I like this story and I like to build my chapters, I'm trying to progress so feel free to give me advice.

I ask for your attention, I have ideas about Talion's artifacts, but you can surely have interesting ideas, post here the ideas you think are interesting, know that Talion can't create overpowered artifact for the moment but it will change in the future, I dare say in 8 or 9 chapters, he should have the ability to create powerful artifacts.

I always read and correct every mistake I find but sometimes some slip by, if you find them just say it i'll correct them.

3746 words

Read chapters ahead on my pa*treon at pa*treon.com/I_am_Baal