The Nazgûl Engage Glorfindel upon the Bridge of Mitheithel

Four of the Black Riders have been trailing Gandalf Grahame after the battle on Weathertop for eight days now.

They have ridden in hard pursuit for many days and nights, when they come upon the Last Bridge.

The Riders stop… their black steeds stamping and champing in the fog that winds up wraith-like from the river below. As they ride up to the bridge, night covers the land in Shadow.

The four Riders pause upon the bridge as night deepens over Eriador. One rider whips his horse into a frenzied gallop and rides East to the Ford of Bruinen. The three remaining Black Riders turn and face westward upon the Last Bridge across the River Hoarwell. They know that the turbulent and deep waters of the river afford no other crossing. To the West, the five other Wraiths wait upon the Road, lest the one who harbors the Ring and those who follow him, dare to return along the roads winding course.

The riders know that it will not be long now, the splintered tip of the Morgul Blade will be working it’s way into the heart of this weak halfling. They need only wait, then he will be like they are… and he will come to them… willingly or no when called.

The three Black Riders wait upon the Bridge of Mitheithel far into the night. The three-arched stone bridge was made long ago by the Ancient Kings of the North, who are no more. The three Nazgûl wait in the darkness, still as stone as a soft rain begins to fall about them. Suddenly ahead, the sound of hooves can be heard coming from the West.

Around the bend in the roadway comes a figure upon horseback. Tall and stern upon his saddle, Glorfindel rides openly to the Bridge of Mitheithel, his white horse Asfaloth rides with head held high and proud of bearing. The Elf stops just before the Bridge and looks down upon the riders in black.

To the eyes of the Ringwraiths the elf shines with a cruel light that nearly blinds them as his horse rears up and neighs fiercely. The hated Eldar dismounts from his steed and draws his sword. However, the servants of the Enemy will not so easily surrender the bridge. They too dismount from their black steeds and draw sword.

Glorfindel stands his ground upon the edge of the Last Bridge.

The three Nazgûl raises their swords before them, pale and gleaming in the darkness. They began to chant words in the Black Speech, Morgul Spells of despair. The mist that winds its way about the bridge begins to deepen and darken into Shadow. The rain that falls about them, begins to glow with a noisome sheen.

The Elf has no fear of the Ringwraiths, for he is one who has dwelt in the Blessed Realm and lives at once in both worlds, and against both the Seen and the Unseen he has great power. He see the riders as they truly are, haggard kings of men with bitter crowns upon their brow. Pale and white against the Shadow.

Nearly a thousand years before, Glorfindel had stood with Eërnil II, King of Gondor at the final Battle of Fornost, and helped throw down the might of Angmar. The Witch-king had fled before them and was defeated. Glorfindel felt no fear of these foul wraiths who now stood before him at the Bridge of Mitheithel.

The terrible Elf Lord raises his own sword which begins to glow with the fierce and unyielding light of the Eldar. In a commanding voice, he demands that they leave the bridge. When the servants of Sauron refuse to give way, Glorfindel  invokes the name of Elbereth and it strikes like a blow against the Shadow. The Wraiths scream in dismay and fall back before the wrath of Glorfindel as he marches forward upon Bridge of Mitheithel!

The three Ringwraiths depart the bridge and climb upon their steed, retreating into the darkness. This hated Elf may well have driven them from the bridge and even in times past defeated their Black Captain at the gates of Fornost, but the North Kingdom had still fallen and it’s kings now lay dead and forgotten under shadow upon the Barrow-downs. The time of the Eldar was passing and power of their master was growing once more.

A time will come soon, when there will be a reckoning and the power of the Dark Tower will overthrow the West forever! The Ring shall be returned to the hand of it’s rightful Master and then the might of Mordor will be unleashed. This war will be the final war, that will cover all of Middle-earth in Shadow until the breaking of the the world.

Lay your staff on the link below to follow the Time-line of the War of the Ring from the Eye of Mordor.

The Mordor Appendices ~ The Time Line of the Year 3018 ~ 3019