Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. Everything else is all mine! Unfortunately, I'm not making any money from any of them.
Summary: Legolas and Aragorn have shared many adventures during their travels, encountering many strange things. Along with Elladan, Elrohir and Gandalf, here's just one such adventure.
A/N: This story was written for the Teitho Contest theme: Strange Encounter.
THE TEMPLE OF ALTIMIR
by White Wolf
Chapter One
The week-long trip south was uneventful. The five companions; Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood; Aragorn, Chieftain of the Dúnedain; Elladan and Elrohir, the twin sons of Lord Elrond of Imladris; and Gandalf, the Grey Wizard, traveled at a moderate pace. They were enjoying the weather that was warming up slightly with every mile they traveled.
The three elven warriors and the human ranger were accompanying the Istar on a mission to recover a special object. Just what this particular object was had so far a been a mystery. It was enough that the wizard needed their help, and tey were glad to give it.
Legolas had ridden out from Mirkwood, meeting up with Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir southeast of Fangorn Forest. They had barely greeted each other before Gandalf joined them.
The little group exchanged pleasantries and then began the journey to the mysterious Temple of Altimir. At least, it was mysterious to the human and the three elves. Gandalf, it seemed, knew exactly what the place was and the details of what they were looking for. All of this information he was keeping to himself, deftly turning aside all questions from the curious youngsters.
The questions continued all day, but the wizard didn't give in. "You will find out when we get there," became his standard reply. His eyes were twinkling with amusement each time he said that. The old wizard loved keeping secrets. Though the curiosity of the others didn't abate, the questions finally did.
"At least, he did not answer with his usual riddles," Elrohir said, with a note of gratitude in his voice.
Gandalf laughed. He had to admit to himself that he did love his riddles.
After dinner at camp on the first night, Gandalf lit his pipe and passed the glowing pipe wand to Aragorn, sitting next to him and who also lit up.
All three elves sat on the opposite side of the fire, making sure they were upwind of the smoke that curled around from the two pipes.
"You never learned that foul habit at home," Elrohir declared disapprovingly to his younger brother.
"Ada was appalled the first time Estel came home and lit up," Elladan stated. "And Glorfindel lectured him for days on the evils of pipeweed."
"The rangers taught him that habit," Legolas said, wrinkling his nose. "I have been to their camps several times. They all sit around puffing away and choking anyone else unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity." His tone left no doubt how he felt about the disgusting habit.
"Well, I am a ranger," the man replied, sending out a particularly large smoke ring.
Not to be outdone, Gandalf blew out a smaller one that easily fit inside of Aragorn's. He quickly blew out two more that followed the first until the large ring broke apart and dissolved into the evening breeze. The smaller rings lasted a few seconds longer before they, too, vanished.
The rest of the evening was spent in the exchange of stories from various recent adventures. As always, there was a great deal of laughter among the five companions.
When the moon had risen above the mountains, the night watch was set with Legolas taking the first turn.
The little group was up and on their way just as the welcoming sun was making its appearance on the eastern horizon. The day promised to be a good one.
x x x x x
Seven days later, Gandalf pulled Shadowfax to a halt. "There," he said, pointing his staff ahead of him.
Legolas, Aragorn and the twins followed the line of the staff and then let out various sounds reflecting their surprised reactions when they saw the structure the wizard was indicating.
Several hundred yards straight ahead was their destination, the Temple of Altimir, sitting atop the only hill they had seen for the last two days.
The temple looked to be made of black obsidian and even from where they sat, the group could see that it glistened like wet glass in the bright sunlight of mid-morning.
Everyone stared in awe. Everyone, that is, except Gandalf. He did not like the place and had never wanted to come here, but the necessity of finding the object he sought took the choice out of his hands.
"Staring at it will not get us there," Gandalf pointed out with a deep sigh. Summoning his iron will, the wizard urged Shadowfax forward.
The stallion seemed as reluctant to go forward as the wizard did, but the horse advanced obediently.
When they were about fifty yards from the temple, Gandalf stopped. "We will leave the horses here. They do not need to be left any closer than this."
It was clear that everyone, even Aragorn with his mortal senses, could feel the evil that emanated from the dark structure. It made them all shiver.
The temple's straight sides rose up a hundred feet into the air. Its top looked to be flat. Every visible surface was as smooth as the glass it resembled. There were no windows and only one discernible door, a bronze one at the top of half a dozen steps. The temple was taller than it was wide but not enough so that it made one think of a tower.
"This object must be very important to come to a place like this," Aragorn observed. He knew that Gandalf wouldn't put any of them in danger unless he felt it was vital that he do so. That they would soon be in danger the man had no doubt.
"It would be nice if we looked down and found that object, whatever it is, on the ground at our feet," Elrohir commented, not being able to stop himself from looking down.
"Dream on," his foster brother told him. "Things like that don't happen to us." He glanced sideways at Legolas, who closed his eyes and nodded knowingly.
They all dismounted and when Elrohir started to pull his pack from his horse, Gandalf, said "No need for those. They will not be needed once we get inside."
Aragorn took a deep breath and started forward. When he reached the steps, he stopped.
Legolas moved up beside him and regarded the steps. He put his foot gingerly on the bottom step and then quickly jerked it back.
"What is it?" Aragorn asked, not sure if he really wanted to hear the answer, since it was obvious that something was not right.
"It feels alive," the elven prince declared somewhat stunned. He had surprised himself with that description, but it was the impression that he had when he touched the step.
"Alive?" Elladan asked in disbelief, as he, and his twin reached the steps. "The steps are alive?"
"The whole temple is," Gandalf replied, looking up at the towering structure. "It is a living thing."
"Great," Elrohir said, smiling weakly. "A living building. I have never been in one. Sounds like fun."
"Been in one?" Aragorn repeated. "I've never even heard of one." He was too astonish to think about asking what kind of creature formed a living building.
"How are we going to get in?" Legolas asked, as he pointed at the door. "There is no handle or latch."
"And what if it, whatever it is, doesn't want us to get in?" Aragorn wanted to know.
"There is only one way that I can see," Legolas told his friends. "We push." The elf walked boldly up the steps. He looked down because the steps felt almost spongy, like water-soaked sod. He was half expecting his presence to be rejected and for him to be dumped off onto the ground. When that didn't happen, he said to the others, '"Mind how you step. It is a bit - unsteady."
Elladan started to say something but changed his mind. Instead, he steeled himself and walked up beside the Mirkwood archer.
Legolas put the palms of his hands against the door and pushed before pulling them back. "It is freezing cold and does not wish to budge."
When he looked at Elladan, the other elf grinned. "Together then." He was thinking that hopefully the door would open with two of them combining their efforts.
They both put their hands against the door, spreading their fingers wide, and applied considerable pressure. The two elves had to rely solely on their upper body strength, since the soft steps didn't offer much in the way of an anchor for their feet.
At first, nothing happened. But then suddenly, the door swung all the way open. Both Legolas and Elladan plunged through the doorway off balance, and fell face down on the equally cold floor.
Aragorn walked in, reached down and helped Legolas and Elladan to their feet. "Nice entrance," he said deadpan. "Very elegant."
Both elves had the good grace to look embarrassed.
"If the door and the floor are freezing cold, I imagine the walls are, as well," Legolas commented, as he gently rubbed his chin, the part of his body that had hit the hardest when he fell.
Gandalf and Elrohir entered the building and then stopped to look around. The temple was one huge room. There were no alcoves, no other doors and no furniture of any kind. The room was totally empty. Unlike the steps outside, the floor was solid and looked like dark, smoky glass, though it had a translucent quality to it. Everything shimmered.
Gandalf walked over to the nearest wall and reached out to touch it. His hand went all the way through. In just the few seconds that his hand was inside the wall, it had become almost frostbitten. The temple shook.
Aragorn held Gandalf's hand and vigorously rubbed it between his own. When he let go, the wizard's hand was warm.
The wizard smiled and nodded his thanks. He tried not to think of what would have happened had he left it there just a few seconds longer.
Elrohir was puzzled. "If this is a temple, where is the altar?" Even if the site had been abandoned as a a place of worship, surely an altar of some kind would still exist.
No one had an answer for him, not even Gandalf.
Legolas was staring mesmerized, as a form detached itself from a side wall. It was indistinct at first but shimmered more so than the structure itself. As it moved toward Legolas, it became more solid and took on a human shape. By the time the figure reached the elf, a beautiful woman dressed in a gown of silky black stood before him. Her eyes were a dove gray color, and her dark brown hair flowed to her waist. Her skin was smooth and creamy white. She was also very tall, standing eye to eye with the elven prince.
"I am Quintella, High Priestess. And this," the woman gestured all around her, "is Altimir."
Legolas noted her soft, musical voice. She almost sounded - elven.
"This whole building?" the elf asked, finding such a thing very hard to accept.
"Yes, of course. Do you not know of him?" Quintella asked with obvious disbelief.
She turned from one member of the group to another, and finally her smile settled back on Legolas. She had never before seen anyone with golden hair. He intrigued her.
"He became his own temple. How convenient," Aragorn remarked. There was no sign of respect in his voice.
Rather than reacting with anger, Quintella's laughter echoed around the huge structure. It, like her voice, was musical. "I like people who can see humor in a situation."
Gandalf frowned. He realized that Quintella was beginning to captivate them. Her voice and demeanor were of someone who was sweet and helpful. But, if she served a demon, which he believed Altimir was, she could only be as evil as he was.
"Who is this Altimir?" Legolas asked, making a conscious determination not to fall under her spell. But mercy, he thought in admiration, she was beautiful.
"Down, boy," Aragorn told his friend under his breath. Legolas heard it clearly. So did Quintella.
She smiled warmly at Legolas. "You have nothing to fear from me," she purred. "And to answer your question, Altimir is the Lord of Pantos, the kingdom you have been traveling through."
Legolas was openly staring at Quintella, trying to size her up. She had detached herself from a temple wall, so he wondered if Altimir was trying to put them off guard by using the form of a beautiful woman, when it was actually him. He decided to try and find out. "Are you part of Altimir?" the elf asked her.
Withougt warning, Quintella suddenly vanished. Again the building shook. A deep, demonic voice echoed all around the empty room. "I hope you prove to be worthy adversaries. I have not had any real entertainment in centuries."
"We certainly hope to please," Elrohir said sarcastically, all the while staring at the spot where Quintella had stood only a second before. Perhaps, she was part of Altimir.
"I know why you have come," the demonic voice echoed.
"And why is that?" Aragorn asked, turning to see if he could detect any other form along the walls.
"You want a golden key. Is that not right, wizard?"
Gandalf couldn't hide his shock that Altimir would know his intention here. How could he possibly find out something he had tried so hard to hide? The demon was stuck out here in the middle of nowhere.
Sauron, the wizard thought with a start. Of course, the Dark Lord had to be involved. Altimir must certainly exist as one of Sauron's minions.
TBC
Let's see if I can keep my infamous plot bunny on a short leash for this one. :o)