Chapter 30 - The Shadow Awakens

As Gandalf reaches the High Fells, the dark, desolate landscape looms over him, and he feels the cold tendrils of an ancient malice. Before him stands a gate, its heavy iron bars twisted and broken as if something immensely powerful had forced its way out. With unease, he steps forward, his staff illuminating the path as he begins his descent into the depths of the eerie tombs.The air is thick with dread as Gandalf cautiously makes his way down, almost losing his footing on a slick surface. He slips and begins to slide uncontrollably, skidding down a chute that appears to plunge into a bottomless void. Barely managing to stop himself, he lands precariously on a narrow stone staircase jutting from the chasm's wall, catching his breath.Gandalf looks around, realizing that the High Fells was never intended to be easily entered or escaped. The heavy silence presses in as he moves forward, reaching a chamber set into the side of the chasm. Its gate, too, is shattered, and as he peers inside, he sees a massive tomb—its stone lid has been broken from the inside, the grave lying empty and desecrated.Suddenly, Radagast appears, his footsteps echoing in the silence as he joins Gandalf. "Why here?" he whispers, glancing uneasily at the ruins around them.Gandalf frowns. "Because this is where the servant of evil was kept. A creature whose very name has been lost to time—one who was bound to darkness." He turns, gesturing with his staff, casting its light down into the chasm. His face tightens as the light reveals more empty tombs, each as broken and hollow as the last."This... was the prison of the Nazgûl," Gandalf says grimly, his tone laced with foreboding. "Sauron's most deadly servants, bound here for centuries, locked away so that they might never roam the world again."Radagast's face blanches. "The Nazgûl... awakened? But how? Who could summon them back?"Gandalf's face darkens. "I believe they were called by the Necromancer." He pauses, then continues. "These wraiths serve only one master. They would only reawaken for Sauron."Radagast, distressed, shakes his head. "It cannot be! Sauron was destroyed. No mortal could command such terrible power."Gandalf grips his staff. "No mortal, no. But I believe the Necromancer is Sauron himself, still weak but growing in strength." He looks toward Dol Guldur in the distance, his expression set with grim resolve. "If he is indeed rising again, then all the world is in peril."Radagast gazes at him with mounting worry. "If what you fear is true, then we cannot wait. We must go to Dol Guldur."Gandalf hesitates, thinking of Thorin and the company in Mirkwood, vulnerable without his guidance. "The dwarves are in grave danger. They need my help."Radagast places a hand on Gandalf's shoulder. "If Sauron has returned, they are not the only ones in danger. The darkness will not stop until all are under its shadow."Gandalf, reluctantly convinced, nods. They ascend back to the light and soon arrive at the gloomy entrance of Dol Guldur, the Necromancer's twisted fortress. Gandalf turns to Radagast. "Go to Lady Galadriel. Tell her what we have found and that she must be prepared. We may have little time."Radagast nods, his usual cheery demeanor replaced by stark determination. "Be careful, Gandalf."As Radagast departs, Gandalf steels himself, stepping into Dol Guldur alone. Dark shadows swirl around him, and the oppressive silence is broken only by his whispered incantations. With each step, he feels the fortress's illusionary spell dissipating, exposing its hidden secrets. Suddenly, an overwhelming presence fills the air—Gandalf feels a sinister energy, and he stops in his tracks.A hulking figure steps out from the shadows, and Gandalf's grip tightens on his staff. It's Azog, his pale visage illuminated by the eerie light. His cold eyes fixate on the wizard.Gandalf's voice is steady as he demands, "Where is your master?"Azog sneers. "He is everywhere."The fortress begins to vibrate with the movement of hidden Orcs, emerging from the shadows as they surround Gandalf. Their leader raises his weapon, ready to strike, but Gandalf slams his staff down, unleashing a blinding light that disorients the Orcs. With a mighty effort, he brings down a section of the fortress wall, creating a barrier to block their pursuit.As he turns to escape, Gandalf halts, sensing an even darker power gathering around him. Before him, a figure begins to manifest—a massive, shapeless being of darkness and fire. The presence is suffocating, and Gandalf realizes with a cold dread that this is the true face of the Necromancer. The shadows twist, forming an incorporeal, flaming shape."Sauron..." Gandalf breathes, understanding at last.The dark figure shifts, sending a wave of shadow energy at Gandalf, who raises his staff, conjuring a shield of light to protect himself. The two powers collide in an intense battle, light and darkness clashing. Gandalf's resolve is fierce, but he feels his strength beginning to wane against the unyielding force of Sauron's might.The darkness overpowers him, and the Necromancer's form becomes more solid, flames wreathing around him, his presence undeniable. With a surge of power, Sauron disintegrates Gandalf's staff, pinning him to a wall with telekinetic force. Gandalf struggles, unable to break free as Sauron's terrible voice fills his mind, his identity unmistakable.Sauron leans closer, his fiery form towering over Gandalf. He forces Gandalf to watch as a vast army of Orcs begins to march from Dol Guldur, heading directly toward the Lonely Mountain. Gandalf's heart sinks as he realizes the full scope of Sauron's plan—the world will soon be engulfed in darkness if no one stands in the way.