Aglahad and the Dead City (In Tharbad: Volume Three)

17

The mountains rose like a vast wall before us. There were no foothills in eastern Lindon. The plains gradually rose from the banks of the Lhûn to the feet of the mountains forty leagues to the west. The broken peak of Mount Dolmed pierced the sky like a gigantic fang.

Aglahad seemed to be in awe as the horses trotted along the road. "It is as though the Valar split the mountain asunder."

"They did," I replied.

The road was virtually non-existent now, carpeted by moss and short grass. But it was firm and even and as straight as the day before. The trotting horses often broke into a canter and even a gallop at times. Soon though, the road dipped down towards the Hadhothir, the river that had its source high up in the mountains near Nogrod. It wound, shallow and narrow across the plains to the Lhûn behind us. The road curved to the left as it followed the riverbank and we had to slow as we entered a grove of pines. Some trees had taken root on the road itself and we had to weave among the trunks as the land rose towards the valley ahead. The air here was heavy with the scent of lhuglam and aglarithil. I asked the others to rest a while so that I could collect some for my pack.

The roar of rapids filtered through the trees as we followed the road to the north. It climbed a slope above the river before turning back to the west and levelling off. Here the pine grove abruptly ended. Before us, stretching across the whole valley, was a grey wall of fallen rock. The mountains on either side rose steeply from the valley bottom.

"It appears we will have to continue on foot," I said.

Aglahad stared at me. "No. I cannot leave Bronweg here in the wild."

Lofar patted his pony's neck. "Even these hardy fellows couldn't climb that scree, laddie."

"But what if that – thing is still following?"

"Is Bronweg not one of the Mearas?" I said. "The steed of Araw himself sired her. She has more wit and courage than you believe, Aglahad. Leave her with the others. I assure you, they will all be here when we return."

Aglahad stroked Bronweg's neck and whispered in her ear then dismounted. We filled our skins from the slow waters above the rapids then ate the pears that we'd found growing back along the road.

"Take nothing you can spare," Finduilas said.

"Does everyone have a blanket?" Lóni said. "It will be a cold sleep these coming nights."

Aglahad kissed Bronweg on the nose then left her with Losnoron and the other mounts. We followed the road, such as it, was until we saw it disappear under the vast hill of rubble. Off to the north, high above, I discerned a path leading over the lower slopes of the mountain and above the rock fall.

We trudged north along the tree line, before starting the gentle climb up the scree, clambering over grey rocks and around huge, jagged boulders. The rock fall skirted the shoulder of the mountain. There was no green here and the shadow of the mountain gave the climb a desolate, even disheartening feel.

After an hour or so we climbed into the afternoon light and left the top of the rock fall behind. We rested and looked down into the valley. I saw Aglahad looking down on the trees, trying to spot Bronweg.

Lofar puffed for breath. "It almost seems like this barrier was built this way."

"Aye," said Lóni, "some kind of dam or indeed, a wall."

To the west, the forest flooded the valley floor and swept up the mountainsides where it crashed in great, green waves. The sheer, grey cliffs above rose to lofty, jagged peaks. A winding groove traced the path of the river through the forest from the foot of the hill of boulders. And far beyond, the valley floor narrowed and then ended where the feet of the mountains came together.