Chương 34: Witchcraft, the big brother of shamanism?!
In the dense shadows of Carn Dûm, Narzug met his new master, Khamûl the following evening. The mist hung heavy in the air as Narzug walked down the dark corridor, preparing for the upcoming lesson. Khamûl, draped in black robes surrounded by an unnatural darkness, waited patiently in a sparse, torch-lit room. His face was hidden under a deep hood, but his eyes glowed like embers in the dark.
"Narzug the Mist Demon," Khamûl began, his voice a whisper that nonetheless cut through the air like a sharp knife, "to learn the secrets of the warlocks, you must first swear an oath to your source."
Khamûl raised his hand, and a cold wind swept through the room, causing the flames of the torches to flicker and cast dancing shadows on the walls.
"Repeat after me. I, Narzug the Mist Demon, swear by the source of myself to enter the service of Sauron and Khamûl, the Shadow of the East."
Narzug repeated the words faithfully. He had pondered all night and day about how to proceed. His conversation with Tom Bombadil ran through his mind again, and he finally made a decision.
"My path will lead neither through light nor darkness. I don't want to live in a world ruled by hypocrites like Aragorn or oppressors like Sauron. I will choose my own path and do what feels right for me. However, to achieve that, I need to become more powerful so that no one can dictate anything to me in the future! I will swear the oath, even if I will definitely break it later!"
Khamûl looked thoughtful for a few moments, but then nodded, satisfied with Narzug's oath.
"You will find many parallels between the teachings of warlocks and orc shamans. Both are based on negative feelings, but the arts of the warlocks are directly passed down by the dark lords. From Morgoth through Sauron to us warlocks. The strongest of us calls himself the Witch-king."
"You know the teachings of orc shamans?"
"Do you think Mordor does not have its own shamans? Besides, there are countless orc shamans in the east and south... only here in the west are there barely a handful left," Khamûl shared.
"Witchcraft is not based on a single negative feeling. Unlike shamanism, we focus on all negative feelings that exist. We call them the Darkness. Darkness is not just the absence of light. It is a power, a substance that you can control. Feel the darkness, let it penetrate you, and become one with it."
Narzug closed his eyes and concentrated. He felt the cold envelop him like a cloak of shadows, sharpening his senses and clearing his thoughts. It was an eerie feeling, but one that also filled him with a strange strength.
"Good," Khamûl murmured, feeling Narzug's efforts. "Now, open your eyes and observe."
Khamûl raised an old, armored finger and traced intricate patterns in the air. The lines glowed briefly and then disappeared, leaving a sense of change in the room. "This is the first lesson: the control of the elements of darkness. Every warlock must be able to manipulate the forces around him. Air, fire, water, and earth—all these elements can be shaped by darkness."
Narzug watched attentively as Khamûl cast a spell. A small flame appeared before him, hovering in the air, and began to spin and grow until it took on a human form. It was an impressive display of power.
"You will learn to master this art," Khamûl said with a hint of pride in his voice. "But it requires discipline and patience. Darkness can be a powerful ally, but it can also consume and destroy if you lose control over it."
Narzug nodded and stepped closer to better observe his teacher's movements. Khamûl guided him through the basics of elemental magic, showing him how to channel and shape energies to achieve various effects. It was a tedious and often frustrating task, but Narzug demonstrated determination and perseverance that visibly impressed Khamûl.
"There is another lesson you must learn today," Khamûl said as the hour drew to a close. "The power of runes. These ancient symbols carry the essence of magic within them. Each rune has its own meaning and power, and you must learn to read and use them."
"I already know many runes in the dark language... Morgash showed them to me."
Khamûl laughed and opened an old book covered in runes, beginning to explain the meanings of the symbols to Narzug. "You orcs can do many things, but writing and reading are not among them for 99.99% of you. We will see how deep Morgash's knowledge of runes was. This rune here," he said, pointing to an intricate pattern, "stands for protection. If you use it correctly, it can shield you from your enemies' attacks."
Narzug studied the runes carefully, trying to memorize the complex patterns and their meanings. He quickly realized that Khamûl was right. The runes he knew from Morgash were similar, but they lacked the grace of the runes in the book before him.
"That's enough for today," Khamûl finally said. "You have learned well, but there is still a long way ahead of you. Learn all the runes in the book until you can recall them from memory. Rest and return tomorrow. The darkness has many more secrets to reveal to you."
Narzug left the room feeling exhausted but also excited. The first lesson had introduced him to a world full of mysteries and power that he could only imagine. But he was determined to keep learning and master the secrets of the warlocks, no matter how long it would take.
As he walked through the dark corridors of Carn Dûm back to his quarters, he felt the gazes of the other orcs on him. They knew he was learning from their master, and their eyes held a mix of envy and respect. But Narzug didn't care. He had a higher purpose, and nothing would stop him from achieving it.
The next day, Narzug returned punctually. Khamûl was already waiting for him, and the lesson began immediately. Today would be about creating illusions, another powerful tool in a warlock's arsenal.
"Illusions are more than just mirages," Khamûl explained. "They can change the perception of reality and deceive your enemies. But you must learn to recognize the boundaries between reality and illusion, or you will fall under the spell of your own magic."
Khamûl demonstrated how to weave illusions by creating a simple image in the air—a beautiful and deadly-looking dagger that appeared out of nowhere and then vanished just as suddenly.
Narzug was euphoric: "I taught myself to weave illusions by copying the abilities of the ring. With a teacher, I can surely take my illusions to a new level!"
He concentrated and tried to create illusions with the power of the warlocks. A small, ugly bread knife appeared and disappeared just as quickly. The illusions of the warlocks were much more complex than the ability of the ring he had copied.
With the ring's ability, he used the greed in his opponent's heart; witchcraft created the illusion with the help of darkness, like a mirage in the air.
"Well done," Khamûl praised. "But you must learn to perfect your illusions. They must appear so real that no one can guess their true origin."
Days passed as Narzug continued to practice and learn. He felt his powers grow, and with them his understanding of the dark arts. Khamûl taught him how to use illusions in battle to confuse and overwhelm the enemy. Narzug's understanding grew, and he began to merge his own ability with Khamûl's teachings. His illusions became stronger and stronger, and sometimes he had to be careful not to lose himself in an illusion.
"Darkness can be used not only to destroy," Khamûl said a few weeks later. "It can also protect and conceal. You must learn to use both sides of this power to become a true warlock."
The days passed in a monotonous yet fascinating rhythm. Narzug delved deeper and deeper into the secrets of the warlocks. Each lesson brought new insights and abilities that made him stronger and wiser. Khamûl guided him through the dark paths of magic, teaching him how to use the power of shadows to achieve his goals.
Narzug learned how to transform darkness into weapons, how to summon the spirits of the dead and use them for his purposes. He learned how to manipulate the thoughts of his enemies and use their fears against them.
The first months of his training passed quickly, and soon Narzug felt ready to take the next steps. Khamûl recognized this and began to initiate him into even deeper secrets. The power of rituals, the art of enchantment, and the secrets of ancient invocations became a part of Narzug's daily life.
Every night, as he went to rest, he reflected on what he had learned and prepared for the challenges of the next day. He knew that the path he had chosen was dangerous and uncertain, but he was determined to follow it to the end.
One day, when he arrived for his lesson, Khamûl waited for him in a different, even darker part of Carn Dûm. The walls of this new room were adorned with ancient scrolls and artifacts that exuded an aura of powerful, dark magic. Khamûl stood in the center of the room, his eyes glowing in the dim light of the torches.
"Narzug," Khamûl began, "today you will learn the power of rituals. Rituals are the embodiment of ancient magic, deeply rooted in time and incredibly powerful when performed correctly."
Khamûl placed an old, heavily bound tome on a stone altar in the center of the room and opened it carefully. The smell of ancient parchment and magic filled the air.
"This book contains the rituals of the old warlocks, passed down from generation to generation. Each ritual requires precise preparation and complete concentration."
Narzug stepped closer, his eyes fixed on the ancient writings and symbols that covered the pages of the book. "The first ritual you will learn is the protection ritual. It creates a barrier of darkness that shields you and your allies from magical and physical attacks."
Khamûl began to explain the necessary ingredients and tools for the ritual.
"You need black candles, a bowl of pure water from the depths of Mirkwood, and a blade of dark metal consecrated with your own blood."
Narzug prepared everything meticulously as Khamûl showed him. The candles were placed in a precise circle around the altar, the water was poured into the bowl, and the blade was laid out. Khamûl then guided him through the incantation, an ancient prayer to the spirits of darkness that would activate the ritual.
"Speak the words with determination and let the darkness flow through you," Khamûl instructed.Narzug raised the blade and cut his hand, letting the blood drip into the bowl of water. He spoke the incantation, his voice firm and clear, as the darkness in the room began to pulse. A cold wind arose, and the flames of the candles flickered wildly as the magical energy of the ritual manifested.
"Concipiuntur tenebrae, qui protegent nos a malis!" Narzug cried, and a dark barrier formed around him and Khamûl. The air seemed to vibrate with power, and Narzug could feel the strength of the protective barrier.Khamûl nodded in satisfaction.
"Very good, Narzug. You have performed the ritual successfully. This barrier will protect you from many dangers, but remember that it also consumes large amounts of your own energy. Use it wisely."
The following days were spent by Narzug learning more rituals. Each ritual was more complex and demanding than the last, but Narzug showed impressive learning ability and dedication. He learned how to summon the spirits of the dead to obtain information from the past and how to manipulate the forces of nature to summon storms and defeat enemies. In a quick fight it was not very helpfull, becauce of hour long preparations and rituals.
One night, as Narzug was sitting in his quarters poring over his notes, there was a knock at the door. It was one of the other orcs bringing him a message from Khamûl.
"Come to the Great Altar immediately," the message read.Narzug rose and hurried through the dark corridors to the Great Altar. When he arrived, he found Khamûl deep in conversation with another of the Nazgûl. Khamûl turned to him as he entered.
"Narzug," he said, "today you will participate in a special ritual. It is the Ritual of Dark Binding, a powerful ritual that gives you the ability to use the essence of shadows to enhance your own powers."
The room was filled with intricate symbols and diagrams drawn on the floor. In the center of the room stood a large black crystal ball, pulsating with an ominous light.
Khamûl led Narzug to the center of the room and began to explain the steps of the ritual."The Ritual of Dark Binding requires not only your own power but also the support of the spirits of darkness," Khamûl said. "You must open yourself to them and let them into your soul."
Narzug stopped because he immediately recognized what lay before him."This motherfucker wants to mess with me. Let the darkness into my soul?! This is definitely one of the Palantir!"
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