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Author: Harken
Date Added: 6/19/09
Last Modified: 7/3/09
The Fifth Age: Age of the Gate Wars
The Gate Wars
Part One: Spread of Hostility
Angard had remained divided all throughout the Fourth Age, they had learned how to live peacefully in one region. This is mainly credited to the tolerance of Halvak who felt it would be highly disadvantageous to upset the orcs. They had a significant amount of influence in Svaalgor Keep. However, after the murder of Calill, Halvak couldn’t sit around to preserve his neutrality; doing so would eat away at his conscious. He officially allied the Angard Empire with Nívak, Telgin, and Mirodo. Together they amounted to a strong force to combat anything Malkur could throw at them. This action angered not only Malkur to no end, but also the orcs of Kval’tar. They felt ashamed to have enemy troops stationed in their glorious capital of Gávalik. They may not reside there any longer, but it is still a symbol of Angard, a state to which they were loyal for hundreds of years. Such action was heretical in their eyes and their fervor would soon engulf their former capital. The Angard Mutiny materialized over night. Halvak had just returned from Edorâs and was still in mourning for Calill when his top general raced into his chambers to inform him that Gávalik was being overrun from the inside by orcs. They did not kill their Angard brothers but pushed them out of their homes. Halvak was unprepared to counter the attack and doing so would be fatal to their standing army. He determined it would be more beneficial to comply and lead his people away from danger. He did so, evacuating Gávalik and travelling to Zal’Garish with his army and all those who had no place to go. Sephria welcomed them with open arms and miraculously accompanied as many refugees as she could, it is rumored that she opened her own palace to refugees. The Exile of Halvak was yet another event that contributed to the mounting tension between Sephria and Malkur. Out of respect for her friend, Calill, she was going to avoid war in her name at all costs, but now the dwarves had been driven out of their own homeland and it was because they allied with Sephria. Now, she had no other option but to take action.
Soon after Gávalik was overthrown, in another attempt to cripple the new grand alliance, Asvel and a fleet of goblin ships invade the Telgin Channel destroying all enemy ships. Using Mörag Camp as a base, as well as several Maelar and Bäros ports, they were effectively able to obtain and maintain control of the waterway. Maelar had severed the leaderless, vulnerable Telgin nation from its only source of protection, Nívak, who was also preoccupied by the exiled dwarves. Asvel took the move one step further and launched a naval attack on Edorâs. The city was hit by a state of panic. Several attempts were made to mobilize the navy, but inner arguments broke out between the admiral, commodores, and captains. Eventually, ships would sail out independently and fight sometimes forming anarchical groups with other ships. The confusion and disorder in Telgin resembled a state of nature. The scattered Telgin navy fought gallantly for their homeland but a lack of cooperation ultimately led to their downfall. The ships were targeted one at a time and the goblins, being as thrifty as they are, commandeered several of the Telgin ships to enhance their own fleet. The Battle for Telgin Channel raged on for days with Maelar as the obvious victor. Nívak was unable to conjure up a sizable force in time, but they still attempted to do so. The Telgins seemed helpless until, out of nowhere, a massive fleet was spotted sailing in the direction of Edorâs. Mirodo had mobilized their ancient sea force and joined the effort in pushing back Asvel. The arrival and assistance of Mirodo helped the Telgin navy organize itself, effectively forming a stable resistance. They two forces continued to clash on the open sea for several more weeks. The battle was only decided when a handful of Nívak ships arrived from the north; it wasn’t a lot, but enough to make a difference. Maelar was pushed back to Moradin and Telgin regained control of the Channel.
To the east, Durin had become paranoid by Avandor’s rejection and change of heart; therefore, he assembled a network of spies to collect vital information on his neighbor. Due to the typical Baron disregard for Elven culture, the spies sent to Illúvëa were caught. Avandor was insulted and he too became paranoid and ordered the purging of the elders to weed out all other potential spies. The purges of Taldëon were the most eye-opening. Durin had, by far, invested the majority of his effort in politically overtaking Illycia; luckily, Avandor was able to banish them before any real damage could be done. In response to Durin’s actions, Avandor summoned Sephria to Taldëon. She presented herself as requested and her and Avandor held a series of talks which resulted in the addition of Nâvirfëll to the grand alliance which they formally named the Free Peoples of Aedolyn. Sephria, Avandor, and Halvak now resided over the nations of Nívak, Nâvirfëll, Angard, Telgin, and Mirodo. By this time, Malkur had also secured formal alliances from Bäros (Durin), Maelar (Asvel), Kval’tar, Gaalvar, Keldorak, and the Dracon and Dark Elves of Bavkür calling themselves the Axis of Aedolyn including the infamous Golden Army of Bäros and the Black Army of Bavkür.
Part Two: The March of the Golden Army
Bäros was now surrounded by the enemy: Mirodo, Angard, and Nívak to the north and Nâvirfëll to the east. Maelar still remained friendly off Bäros’ west coast and the orcs of Kval’tar were not far to the northeast. Durin’s failure to persuade Avandor angered Malkur, but it was too late now. They had a grand plot in the works and it was time to execute it. Durin amassed the Golden Army and marched north towards Fâlivrin. News of the looming attack quickly reached Fâlivrin and the city locked down in preparation. They also immediately sent requests for reinforcements from Nívak and Telgin. Mirodo had a majority of its standing army close enough to Fâlivrin to make it there is a day or two and the Angard troops stationed there prepared for battle. The attack on Fâlivrin came the next night. Fâlivrin, being built in a mountain pass, was very easy to weaken. The first targets for the Bäros attacks were all of the bridges which connected different parts of the city. Destroy the bridges and you break the unity and cohesiveness. They were successful in bringing down all of the bridges except for the main one which was defended gallantly. On the other hand, Fâlivrin had an advantage; height. Height plus the skill of Mirodo archers made the bombardment go on for a full month. Skirmishes on the ground happened ever so often, but it was suicide for both sides: if Bäros attacked they would be sniped back and if Fâlivrin attacked they would be beaten down by the Golden Army. They were at a standstill.
The premeditated determining factor in this battle came late in the night with only the knowledge of one party. The orcs of Kval’tar from Gávalik were able to sneak into the city through deep mountain tunnels and rise up and bring down Fâlivrin from the inside. When they gave Durin the sign, he ordered a full on attack. The residents of the city used the very tunnels that resulted in its fall to flee to safety under the Veil of Mirodo. They were able to easily override the city, smash through the Telgin and Nívak reinforcements, and finally break yet another fundamental link in the defenses of the Free Peoples. The Fall of Fâlivrin granted Durin access to the Nívak desert and gave him a clear shot at Zal’Garish.
The Golden Army recovered and prepared for a month in occupied Fâlivrin before beginning its trek across the Nívak Desert toward Zal’Garish. The march would be a long one, but the ultimate goal in mind would end the war prematurely in favor of the Axis.
Part Three: Revived Galstrom Conflicts
The Haar Peace Accords had held together a rough peace in Galstrom since the days of the Third Age, but in a land such as Galstrom, no peace could be permanent. The Dissolution of the Haar Peace Accords came very unexpectedly. Within the southern Zul’Caer Highlands, a new Troll leader, Galv’kr Allutol, had come to power who embraced the idea of nationalism and who advocated reconquering the entirety of the Zul’Caer Highlands, which he called the true homeland of the Trolls. Doing this would involve invading and purging Dák'mitorë where which tolls and humans had been living peacefully for centuries. The trolls of the south geographically evaded Viscerra’s iron grip, therefore, they looked at the remarkable Haar Peace Accords in a different light, a less appreciative one. At first, Galv’kr’s political clout didn’t extend much further than Arthin, but he actively spread his ideas though numerous troll communities. It didn’t take long for an underground pro-Galv’kr movement to emerge in Dák’mitorë and from there, it was all downhill.
This underground movement worked quickly and right under the noses of everyone else. Within a month, Galv’kr held a high-level governmental position and he quickly abused his power. Reforms were enacted throughout the government and the military putting all other races, save for trolls, at a disadvantage. Whenever someone spoke out against his, they were banished from the Highlands. Eventually, all of Galv’kr’s opponents had been banished to Haar and he reigned supreme in the south. He called for the Purging of the Highlands in which trolls hordes would comb the lands and chase away or enslave as many humans as possible; those who resisted were killed on the spot. Unjustified massacres were not uncommon and thick black smoke rising from in the distance became part of everyday life.
The humans cried out to their only ally, the orcs of Haar. They responded by sending quick deadly waves of warriors through the Highlands to help liberate their companions. This resulted in hundreds of lethal skirmishes between orcs and trolls. The human government-in-exile reformed in Haar and was able to reestablish a makeshift army with which they invaded Dák’mitorë. Battles occurred on an everyday basis and the death toll increased at a steady rate with no hint of faltering. Months of fighting resulted in little to no progress on the invasion of Dák’mitorë. The orcs saw the human campaign as an inevitable failure and so they brokered a deal with the Galv’kr who welcomed his new ally with open arms. This action caused a rift in Haar and the government split: half for Galv’kr and the other half for the humans. Inevitably, the government collapsed and chaos broke loose. Generals took command of their armies and pursued their own personal view on the issue. The war in Galstrom was a pure free-for-all with no way of telling who supported who.
Ravenous fighting destroyed the land and all traces of the peace that had blossomed since the third age. Within the three communities of Galstrom, leaders rose and fell frequently and the lives of every citizen were plagued by war. The region was practically ignored by all the other nations of Aedolyn, who would only briefly refer to the war as, “The Problem in Galstrom”. By the end of the fifth age both Haar and Dák’mitorë had become inhabitable due to the inability of each of the races or sects within races to live with one another. The people of Galstrom reverted back to their ways from the Days of Aratar; they became nomadic again, living life out on the highlands or steppes in tribes. Civilization in Galstrom had been abandoned. The typical way of life transformed into a struggle for dominance and a constant battle for territory claimed by everyone for different ancient reasons. This attitude would eventually put pressure on Nâvirfëll and influence life there as well.
The Siege of Zal’Garish
After several months of getting reorganized in Zal’Garish, Halvak decided it was time to fight back and reclaim Gávalik. Their time in Zal’Garish was relatively short, but very helpful. Halvak managed affairs in Zal’Garish while Sephria took control of life in Edorâs. The Telgin Republic was still in shock even several months after the murder of Calill, but Sephria was reorganizing the government and structures so that the country would have a fighting chance even without the presence of their beloved ruler. By the time Sephria returned, Halvak and his people had prepared for and planned their next move.
Halvak led his dwarven army into the Angard Mountains while carefully evading the orcs. When they reached the first small mining town that was connected to the underground mine network of Angard they entered the mine and, from there, travelled toward Gávalik by going deeper and deeper into the mines. They travelled silently for days. The terrain under the mountain was just as rough as the mountain itself. It was about a week or two later when they emerged from a secret escape route hidden in the palace, used as an emergency exit in times of need. They busted out of the mines and caught the sleeping orcs by surprise. The fighting at first was quick, but after the orcs organized themselves, they had an advantage and began to push the dwarves back into the mines. Within the mines the fighting escalated in brutality. The echoes of war reverberated under all of Angard; it seemed as if ancient demons were awakening to overtake Aedolyn once again. Amid the confusion, Halvak lost his balance in the midst of battle and fell into the depths of the mine. With his death, Halvak summoned and awoken the ancient wyverns of Angard. He thus rekindled the old tradition of the Dwarven Wyvern Riders and it was with this advantage that the dwarves turned the tables on the battle. The Death of Halvak, no matter how tragic, caused a wave of gallantry to flood over the dwarven forces. They successfully pushed the orcs back and out of Gávalik into the clear, starry night. Despite the struggle and the tragedy, the Battle of Gávalik was short and sweet. It only took a grand total of about two hours for the dwarves to regain their capital; but they felt as if that wasn’t enough to avenge their lord.
The rallied dwarven army pursued the orcs through the mountains back to Kval’tar. The wyvern riders flew over the mountains to Kval’tar and laid siege to the massive, notorious Kval’tar fleet. The wyvern riders destroyed or sank every last ship of the fleet rendering it inexistent. This action alone revitalized the cause of the Free Peoples of Aedolyn and curtailed the malicious plans of Malkur. He was intending on using that fleet of Kval’tar as a major resource in his revisited plans, from the Third Age, to attack Zal’Garish. Without the orcs, his plan would no longer be fool proof, but it was too late to back out of it now, too many pieces were already in place.
The March of the Golden Army had come to a conclusion when they arrived at a safe distance outside Zal’Garish. There they set up camp and prepared for a long, epic siege. The planned attack on Zal’Garish by the Axis was no secret; Sephria knew it was coming and she had made several preparations of her own, including calling in forces from Telgin and Angard (including the newly born wyvern riders). Avandor would be sending a fleet at some point in time as reinforcements, but there was no rush since this battle was intended to last a good while. Malkur had the gargantuan Black Army which would be arriving via the sea; combined with the infamous Golden Army, the Army of the Axis of Aedolyn was quite threatening despite the loss of the fleet and forces of Kval’tar. Malkur had also requested and received a goblin fleet from Maelar, commanded by Asvel himself.
The board had been set and everyone was waiting for Malkur to make the first move. The Black Army sailed from Bavkür and safely landed on the coast of the Nívak Federation. The journey from the coast to Zal’Garish was a arduous one considering Sephria planted several traps along the way to hinder Malkur’s movement as much as possible. Malkur, nevertheless, was able to elude them, though with much difficulty. When they arrived outside Zal’Garish, Malkur, Durin, and Asvel gathered and discussed their strategy. The camp of the Golden Army was to the west of Zal’Garish and the camp of the Black Army was to the east. They would encircle the city and bombard it until it was weak enough to invade at which point they would take it over and destroy the central location of the Free Peoples of Aedolyn.
The siege began at dawn and continued consistently for several months. There would be occasional battles outside the gates of Zal’Garish or in the lines of the aggressors coming from waves of dwarven defenders from Angard. The Axis of Aedolyn made several attempts to invade Zal’Garish prematurely, but Sephria would be able to fight them back every time. Her political strength was inconceivable since she and Avandor were the only deities of the Free Peoples still living. Her jurisdiction included Nívak, Telgin, Angard, and Mirodo and she was utilizing this influence to the max. Forces from Mirodo would hack away at the Golden Army while Angard at the Black Army. The wyvern riders played a major role in protecting Zal’Garish. They would fly over and destroy key components of the Axis’ force. These measures drew out the attack to two years. By that point, Avandor had amassed a resoundingly impressive army and fleet to which he would send to Nívak to determine the outcome of the battle.
The Expansion of Aratar
Since the creation of the Aratar region in the first age, the wasteland between the Nívak Federation and the Bavkür Alliance had been ever expanding. Centuries past as Aratar gradually crept further and further outward engulfing and destroying everything in its path. It was an unstoppable, divine force that would once day take over all of Aedolyn. Not much attention was paid to Aratar until around the Fifth Age when the region was approaching both Svaalgor Keep and Zal’Garish. The fate of both cities was inevitable and nothing was being done to prevent or slow its movement since all of Aedolyn was swept up in the Gate Wars.
The larger Aratar got the more powerful it was and thus it effected the daily weather patterns of Aedolyn. The sky above and near Aratar was tainted by gray clouds which allowed a minimal amount of sunlight through. The divine force caused the seas around Aratar to be rough and in a constant state of deadly storms; only the most skilled could navigate the waters during one of these tempests.
By the time of the Siege of Zal’Garish, Aratar was only feet away from the main gate at Svaalgor Keep. Despite the fortress’ impeccable defenses, nothing could stand up to Aratar. It was doomed from the beginning. The Destruction of Svaalgor Keep was slow and painful for all of its citizens who would evacuate when they were pushed out of their homes until the entire city had been engulfed and integrated into the Aratar wasteland. The refugees fled into the mountains searching for a new home far from the reach of Aratar. The headquarters of the Axis had been destroyed and the people of the Bavkür desert scattered across the mountains to live with their brothers, the Dark Elves and Draconi. Order had dissipated and Malkur’s only hope left was to conquer Zal’Garish and overthrow the Free Peoples.
Next, Aratar would include Zal’Garish itself. The wasteland could be seen from the outer walls of the city since a year ago, but not it was closer than ever. Within a week after the complete destruction of Svaalgor Keep, Aratar approached the outer curtain of Zal’Garish. It was inexorable.
The Flight of the Black Army
The speed and accuracy of Avandor’s elite force was incredible. They reached the shore of the Nívak desert fairly quickly considering the harsh condition of the seas now-a-days and from there, they organized their forces and marched toward Zal’Garish. He arrived in a storm of enthusiasm and pride and his forces plowed through the lines of the Black Army. The elves of Nâvirfëll had never faced Bavkür in battle until just then, and it was clear who was more prepared and superior, whether it is because of their unwearied state of mind or not. The Black Army was in a state of nature and Malkur could not sustain control; luckily, Durin came to his rescue. The Golden Army swept in and pushed the elves back so that the Axis forces could restructure and assemble a vigilant front. Now, the Axis powers, although combined, had to fight two fronts, Sephria to the west and Avandor to the east. Needless to say, the weathered Axis forces, after fighting for over a year, were not prepared or able to counter such an exuberant threat. Thanks to the combined strategic plans of Sephria and Avandor, the Free People of Aedolyn were able to break the lines of Malkur and Durin causing them to retreat. Durin and the Golden Army retreated back the way they came through the Angard Mountain pass and through the Sylinian Plains. Malkur and the mangled Black Army fled for the shore to return back to their destroyed home. Avandor and Sephria both pursued Malkur while they left it up to a strong dwarf militia to intercept Durin.
Once at the shore, the forces of Bavkür quickly loaded back onto the ship in which they arrived despite the grim nature of the sea. A storm was coming but Malkur had no choice to but to brave it. Accordingly, Sephria and Avandor followed relentlessly. By the time the wind picked up and the sky darkened, the entirety of Malkur, Asvel, Avandor, and Sephria’s forces were on the water. The outlook was gloom. The rain began to beat down as ships lost control causing them to slam into one another. Fire would spread from one ship to another until hundreds of ships were aflame. Amid this catastrophe, the battle between the Axis and the Free Peoples continued, only causing more damage. At the point when the chaotic scene could no longer be controlled, Avandor and Sephria withdrew their remaining forces, which was still a considerable number, and watched as the Black Army burned on the ferocious Undine Ocean. The flight of Malkur was a disaster! He had lost his entire force as well as his capital and now had no place to go. Malkur was able to escape the flames by leaping overboard into the raging sea. Miraculously, he survived and was carried by the waters to the shore of the Turuva Roughs, but Sephria was close behind.
The Undine Tempest not only eliminated the Black Army and the goblin fleet, but afterward Asvel could not be found anywhere. He had disappeared without a trace where he was lost at sea, drowned, or simply abandoned Aedolyn will never be known. Nevertheless, the Loss of Asvel crippled the Axis forces even more.
Durin and the Golden Army fled the opposite direction, south through Angard although with neither Sephria or Avandor in pursuit. There they slammed through several dwarven lines, but when it came to the panicle of dwarven resistance, Durin became worrisome. His forces could not easily handle another major battle, but he had no choice but to push them to their limits. Fortunately for Durin, the dwarves of Angard had been skirmishing with the orcs of Kval’tar sporadically throughout the last couple years, so the dwarven resistance wasn’t as strong as he had anticipated. The Golden Army was able to break through them, with some effort and a considerable amount of casualties, and finish the last stretch home to Triam.
The remaining elven ships, under Avandor, returned to Nâvirfëll and prepared to end the Gate Wars forever. They would smash Durin before he had a chance to recover. This feat, however, would be risky since no force had ever been able to successfully breach the walls of Triam. But if there were any time to defy history, it would be now.
Skirmishes in the North
Far to the north, disconnected from the ongoing siege of Zal’Garish, ancient factions clashed. The northwest portion of Aedolyn, the areas of Sauvale, Gaalvar, and Morimaltë have always sustained some sort of relative peace. They had not clashed since the Days of Aratar, but no area of Aedolyn was exempt from the universal disharmony. The dwarves and dracons of Gaalvar initiated periodic raids of Selinyetillë shattering the peace and isolation of the blood elves. Passing this threshold was one of the most foolish actions of the Gate Wars for angering the reserved blood elves opened a Pandora’s Box of rage. They quickly pushed back the meager forces in Gaavlar but didn’t stop there.
The disturbance in Gaalvar provoked retaliation from the dark elves of Morimaltë, who sent forces across the sea to tackle the awoken threat of northern Sauvale. The two clashed among the snowy tundra of Sauvale where they both had experience. The battle was close, but the blood elves were able to negate the force sent by Morimaltë. Now, it was time to invade and beat down the dark elves. The Selinyetillë fleet sailed down the coast of the Telgin Republic, fighting back remaining goblin forces as they went, and docked in Edorâs to speak with the provisional government. The blood elven representative in Edorâs negotiated with the Telgin armed forces and they decided that an invasion of Morimaltë was the best way to contribute to the Free Peoples’ campaign of the Gate Wars. Any action that could end the war quicker was good enough for them.
A combined Telgin force of humans and blood elves sailed north and launched an attack on Morimaltë. The attack took much longer than anticipated because the dark elves were much more prepared than had been thought and were excellent fighters despite their isolation. With staggering losses on each side stacking up, the two forces called a truce with the intention of returning to a peaceful life. But no such life would ever be possible in Aedolyn. The Peace of Morimaltë was fragile and wouldn’t last for more than a few years, but it provided a way out of the hopeless invasion that was haphazardly provoked by rogue mercenaries in Gaalvar. Such an action and response only proves the terrible state of war that the world of Aedolyn had fallen into.
The emergence of the blood elves from Selinyetillë and the weak peace at Morimaltë, however coincidental, aligned perfectly with an old prophecy from an ancient, noble seer in Edorâs. This seer, lived through the Days of Aratar, and befriended the beloved Calill and was highly respected throughout the Telgin Republic although died during the Fourth Age in a time of peace. On her deathbed, she produced one final prophecy and the stars had finally aligned at this time during the Gate Wars to shed light on her forgotten prediction. An initial group of believers left at first, but this merely provoked the avalanche. The majority of human Telgins abandoned their homeland, sailed into the Verváin mists, and disappeared forever either because they believed the ancient seer, they were simply joining family and friends, or they wanted to escape the pandemonium that had tainted Aedolyn. Throughout history, those who sailed into the Verváin mists were never heard from again and it was thought that the mists were either a gateway to paradise or an assurance of death. Nevertheless, the Abandonment of the Telgins was a truly spectacular sight to see; hundreds of pale ships sailing determinedly into the unknown, leaving the war-torn world of Aedolyn forever.
The Collapse of the Axis of Aedolyn
With Edorâs abandoned, the unofficial seat of the Telgin Republic went to Selinyetillë. The blood elves took up arms and official joined the Free Peoples of Aedolyn by meeting with Sephria and informing her of their plans. The war was almost over and the emergence of the blood elves would solidify a victory for the Free Peoples. A combined force of Sauvale, the remnants of the Telgins, Mirodo, Nâvirfëll, Angard, and those Nívaks who were left formed three forces and marked on Triam soon after Durin returned with the Golden Army. The blood elves and the Telgins sailed down from the northwest; the Mirodo, Angard, and Nívak forces marched from the north; and Nâvirfëll from the east. Avandor lead the troops since Sephria was still in the north dealing with the left over Axis army.
The surrounded Triam and launched a full on assault on the fortified city. No army had even been able to penetrate the walls of Triam; but on this day, history was made and it also ended. The attack didn’t last but a day. Durin’s cries of help were unanswered by the goblins who sat back and watch the city be defeated. To some extent, the Betrayal of the Goblins didn’t surprise Durin, he halfway excepted it all along, it was in their nature. Without Asvel, they had no leadership and would revert back to their greedy mercenary ways. The Fall of Triam came quickly due to several factors; basically, the Golden Army had been exhausted and demoralized, their loss was predetermined as soon as they announced the retreat during the siege of Zal’Garish.
Durin, however, wouldn’t go down without a fight. Triam would never fall while he lived. Near the end of the battle, he charged out into the enemy’s forces and hunted down Avandor. They had no choice but to fight. When it came to noble duels, Avandor was a master, but Durin fought with barbaric-like rage. The two fought for hours slowly hacking away at each other. Their fight eventually pushed its way up to the Sylinian Plains just south of Ravmin Gate. The numerous forces followed their fabled leaders to see who would emerge victorious. Finally, the end of the fight came. Durin and Avandor clashed in one final attack which produced a massive magical repellant. The two were flung almost a hundred feet apart, Avandor landing just shy of Ravmin Gate and Durin on a large boulder; neither survived. The Deaths of Avandor and Durin whipped both the Golden Army and the forces of Nâvirfëll, Mirodo, Angard, and Nívak into a frenzy. (The blood elves of Sauvale returned home.) They fought against one another for over a week until every single soldier had been killed. The Sylinian Plains were soaked with blood and covered completely by bodies. This event would eventually become known as the Sylinian Carnage.
The forces of both the Axis of Aedolyn and the Free Peoples of Aedolyn had been annihilated. All of the Nine had been slain, save for Malkur and Sephria. The only forces left in any sort of organized state were the blood elves and the dark elves who had returned into isolation and the orcs of Kval’tar who had one trick left up their sleeves. During the attack on Triam, while all of the elf soldiers were out of Illúvëa, the orcs launched their final suicidal attack. They invaded and burned down a large portion of Illúvëa. In addition, they damned up the L’iorma river in a few key locations which resulted in a deadly flashflood. Water rose quickly and extinguished the flames, but it also destroyed all that was left of the beloved high elvish homeland of northeast Nâvirfëll. Thousands drowned with nowhere to go or no desire to leave. The scene was horrific. The Flooding of Illúvëa quickly destroyed one of the few places left in Aedolyn that had not been stained by war. But the horror did not end there. A powerful orc elder, the most powerful necromancer (a magic that had never existed before) in all of Aedolyn, emerged from Angard and cast a spell on the city. He alone had developed the demonic art of necromancy from the unorganized chaos that is the magic of Aedolyn. The spell he preformed raised all of the fallen orcs and elves from the dead to create the first of The Undead. They thrived in the swamp that had been formed around Illúvëa as well as in the dead forest of the Illycia Darkwood.
Malkur and Sephria: The Last of the Nine
These last final events of the Gate Wars all happened practically simultaneously. It was a hectic time. The Black Army had been destroyed by the Undine Tempest and Malkur was lost at sea, but Sephria knew he was still alive and she hunted him. He was lost at sea for days, and during these days the attack on Triam drew closer. She eventually found hints of his survive on the shore of the Turúva Bay. He had stumbled into Turúva Roughs and Sephria knew he was headed directly for Sharrum Gate to hope for a miracle. She followed him and caught up with his just as he had arrived at the Gate. By the time the she had found him there, however, Triam had already fallen and Durin and Avandor were already dead; now, the forces of Aedolyn were fighting to the death on the Sylinian Plains. Malkur knew it was over and he knew what was ahead of him. With a tear in her eye, Sephria looked at Malkur and Sharrum Gate and wondered by Malkur had done it. Over a thousand years ago, Malkur unlocked the Sharrum Gate and ended the prosperity that Aedolyn had enjoyed and now, because of that, Aedolyn was dead. She calmly asked Malkur why he had done it, but he refused to answer as if withholding the one thing that Sephria truly wanted. She asked him again, and still no answer.
Instantly, the rage toward Malkur that had been bottled up inside her let loose and she launched a spectacular magic attack on Sharrum Gate. The attack resulted in the Destruction of Sharrum Gate as well as the Demise of Malkur. As the screams of Malkur faded, Aedolyn began to shake and Sephria simply stood there, silently sobbing. Rocks from the nearby mountains came tumbling down and she could hear several more avalanches in the distance. It seemed as if Aedolyn was crumbling around her. The dust cleared and she could see that she was unable to flatten Sharrum Gate. It still stood, but the elegance and magic about it had disappeared. It now stood only as an ancient monument to the world that once was her Aedolyn, at least the Aedolyn that she wanted to remember. The tremors subsided and Sephria continued to cry.
Suddenly, she lifted up her head with a jolt. She could hear the screams of her people; something in the Nívak Federation wasn’t right. Sephria abandoned the site and raced to Zal’Garish. Once there, she discovered that Aratar had moved much quicker than usual, the destruction of Sharrum Gate must have accelerated its silent wrath. Zal’Garish would soon suffer the same fate as Svaalgor Keep, but Sephria wouldn’t allow that. Everything she loved about Aedolyn had been destroyed and she wouldn’t let Zal’Garish follow the same path. Calmly as always and with a grace that could never be matched, Sephria walked to the border of Aratar (which was only a few meters from the outer curtain), and she began to cast one last spell. The wind picked up and Sephria’s dress whipped behind her. She held her hands out in front of her as she conjured up a force field that pressed up against the ancient force of Aratar and spread out to encompass all of Zal’Garish. She was pushing Aratar back, preventing it from moving any further south and engulfing Zal’Garish. The pressure being placed on Sephria was intense; no other mage could come close to surviving such a feat. Finally, to ensure that her veil would protect Zal’Garish from Aratar forever, Sephria petrified herself. Her living body was transformed into an opal statue that would protect Zal’Garish as long as it remained standing. Sephria was not dead for if one would press their ear up against the statue, they could hear her heartbeat; she was merely asleep. Many believe she physically left Aedolyn but left her soul there as a reminder of her love. Therefore, the Departure of Sephria from Aedolyn was met with tears and thanks.
The Fifth Age was over.
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