-=[ #2 - Isengard and Fangorn, the Fall of Saruman ]=-

You climb up on the foot of the pedestal and lean over the basin.
The water is still. In it, the reflections of stars are motionless.

Suddenly the stars disappear, and the water grows dark.

Far in the distance you see a tall tower, rising proudly towards the sky.

Around it rises a great ring and tall iron gates.

Lifting your eyes, you see the mountains, the great Misty Mountains, reaching out to embrace it.

Far to the east grows a great lush forest, bursting with life.
A slight shimmer runs across the surface of the silver basin.

Faint music tingles in your ears, just beyond your grasp.

You see a small army marching towards the gates. Riding next to the leader is a shape in radiant white.

A key moves from young strong hands to elderly and wise. The white shape enters the tower.

Time speeds up...shapes move swiftly in and out the gates. Emissars from all kingdoms seek council and wisdom.

Suddenly time comes to a stop. Atop the tower, the white shape, a black glass orb in his hand.

A sharp dissonance enters the music, a fiery red eye shines in the orb.

Time speeds up...shapes move swiftly in and out the gates. Tall dark shapes move silently at night.

An army trails out from the great mountains in the west, their guttural shrieks horrible to hear.

Stealthy shapes leave at dark, travelling in all directions, searching for what once was lost.

Atop the tower, white slowly turns into the colours of the rainbow.

Great hordes of orcs leave through the gates! Great fires start to burn inside the ring!

Tall trees fall to the wicked axes.

Time stops.

A white shape stands within the great forest, tall trees looming above.

A great cry arises from the forest: 'We march! To Isengard we march!'

Waves and ripples run through the forest.

Time starts moving again.

The great gates lie ripped from the hinges, the great ring flooded by water. The huge fires are drowned and dead.

The fiery dissonance slowly fades, leaving only a soft harmony of music.

The vision fades, and you find that you are looking at the cool stars twinkling in the silver basin.