Prologue

Middle-Earth, year 2997

Misty Mountains, twenty miles south of Utumno ruins

In the late hours of the morning, a small explosion shook the walls of the mountain canyon and a plume of green smoke billowed out of a small cave entrance at the bottom of the canyon. Soon after, a man rushed out coughing heavily. His entire body was covered in green soot from the smoke and his clothing was slightly tattered. He continued to cough a bit as he waited for the smoke to clear. Once the smoke had dissipated, the man ventured back into the cave in hopes of salvaging his work.

"Well damn," he muttered under his breath upon seeing the mess. The metal basin he had been using was now on the flooor with a large chunk missing from the side and the remnants of the table the basin had been sitting on were scattered about the floor. Wooden shelves that once lined all the walls of the cave were broken and splintered.

Sighing, the man grabbed a broom and began the process of cleaning up, deciding that one last pinch of rosemary may have been too much. He would try again in the morning; as long as he didn't have to make a trip into town for more supplies, that is.

A few weeks later found the man once more huddled over a boiling basin, every few seconds looking at an open book beside him. He was being extremely careful this time, double checking everything he did as to avoid another basin exploding in his face. Looking at the book again as he emptied a pinkish liquid from a clay cup into the basin, he studied the next step. The man then looked up and scanned the jars and such around him. Not seeing what he wanted, he walked over to a wall lined with several full shelves and searched them. Again not seeign what he wanted, the man sighed heavily and went to the next wall.

Hours later, the "lab" inside the cave was thoroughly disheveled. The man was now sitting on a wodden stool, staring at the basin with annoyance. He couldn't believe he didn't have the last ingredient; he had just bought one the other week. Suddenly, the sounds of small rocks falling caused the man to turn his head toward the entrance.

There, hanging upside down and starring at the man with curious green eyes, was an odd looking creature. A first glance, one would think that it was just an overgrown raccoon. But a closer look would show off it's long thin body, bushy tail, and skinny arms and legs with suctions on each of its fingers and toes. The creature was like a strange cross between a geko and a raccoon. And dangling from its mouth was a blue petaled flower with a bright red center.

The man held out his hand to the creature. "Give it here Tula," he demanded. Tula cocked her head to the side and chirped. "Tula," the man warned. Chirping again, Tula climbed down the wall to her master. She stuck out her neck and dropped the flower in to the man's waiting hand. "Thank you," he said right before smacking her lightly in the head. "Do NOT touch my lab! Now get out of here and go terrorize something." Chirping happily at the prospect of finding a new plaything, Tula jumped down to the ground and trotted out of sight. "Stupid animal," the man muttered.

Heading back into his lab, the man dropped the flower into a white, marble mortar and proceeded to grind it up. Once it was ground into a gooey mush, he mixed in a few drops of liquid milkweed, and scooped it into the basin. Just as he had hoped, the contects of the basin turned sliver. The man then picked up a knife and brought it toward his hand. He turned his head away as the blade slide against the tender flesh of his palm, blood swelled from the wound and dripped into the silvery liquid. He may be what the humans call a 'mad scientist', but he absolutely could not stand the sight of blood; especially his own.

After allowing a sufficient amount of the blood to drip from his palm, he bandaged his hand – while paling consierably upon seeing the gash in his hand – and pulled out a scrap of parchment from a pocket in his cloak. The parchment was covered with words from an ancient language long forgotten by the race of Men, Elf, and Dwarf alike since the ending of the first age. The air around him grew deathly still and cold as the words from the parchment fell from his lips. As each word was said, the liquid began to swirl faster and faster.

"Dal l' vlos d' dosst wanre lu' l' illingen d' dosst ogglinnar, ku'lam, Senger Melkor. Ku'lam lu' plynn elakar k'lar h'uena mzild wund l' thac'zil d'lil tupora."

As the liquid swirled, smoke rose from it's center and floated to an open space in the cave where it slowly began to form the shape of a man. Several long minutes later, a man stood where the smoke had once been swirling. He was well above six feet tall with black hair that flowed past his shoulders, and eyes of warm gold. A lean, well muscled body, broad shoulers, and high cheek bones easily showed the man's good breeding. He wore nothing except for loose black pants and a black tunic.

The other man at the basin hurridly dropped to his knees. "My Lord Melkor," he said. "Welcome back."

Melkor looked at the man kneeling before him, then gazed about his surroundings. "Yes," he agreed with a velvetly smooth voice that could make even the coldest of women swoon. "It is good to be back. Though I would have preferred to be brought back in more, 'comfortable' surroundings, I suppose this will do." Melkor strided over to the man on his knees and rolled his eyes. "Get up, Dolvon. We have work to do." He then reached out to pick up the book beside the basin only to have his hand pass straight through it. Melkor sighed heavily. "Make that you have work to do, Dolvon."

"Of course, my Lord," said Dolvon, scrambling to his feet and pickingup the book Melkor had attempted to touch. His hovered for a minute over the open book before a light came on behind his eyes and he turned to a page near the back of the book. Not taking his eyes off the page, Dolvon grabbed a handful of herbs from a nearby bowl and sprinkled them across the now green liquid. A puff a green smoke emitted from the basin but it was ignored. "My Lord?" he asked looking up from the book.

"What it is?" Melkor answered, not turning around from examining the shelves.

"Are you sure this is the girl you want to use?" Dolvon held up a small sketching of a female Elf.

Melkor turned around and walked over to Dolvon, snatching the picture from his hand. He examined the picture, and small smile escaping his lips. She was exactly how he imagined…exactly how she had looked. Kari, he said in his mind. Kari, a female Elf, had been his lover before he was banished into limbo by his brother. But now he could have her back, and get back at everyone who betrayed him. Granted this girl was not Kari, but she was a carbon copy when it came to looks. He would have her, and if she did not like it, well, then that was tough. She had no choice. Melkor handed the picture back to Dolvon. "Yes," he said. "That is the girl. Are you questioning my reasons?"

"Of course not, my Lord! It is just that I have actually heard stories about her. She is not like the other Elves. They say she is a fighter and somewhat of a rebel. I just want to make sure that my Lord is prepared to….deal with her." Dolvon said the last part tentatively. But what he said was true. That particular Elf was known for causing all sorts of trouble, and he was certain that his Lord was expecting to deal with a girl who was quiet and submissive, which this girl could not be.

Dolvon had had only one encouter with her many years ago when he was searching for the girl his Lord had told him of. He had been wondering through the Lothlorien forest when his feet were suddenly swept underneath him and Dolvon soon found himself hanging upside down from a rope attached to his right foot. He had been hanging not longer than a few seconds when a figure dropped down from a nearby tree. It was an Elf, and double-take informed that it was a female. She wore light brown breaches tucked into soft, brown leather knee-high boots, and a sleeveless light green tunic. Her brown hair was pulled away from her face and her hazel eyes were accented by a green power over her eyelids. She walked over to where Dolvon was hanging and stared at him. She then brought back her fist and punched him. Dolvon was not sure how long he had been unconcious, but when he awoke, his shirt was missing and the words "Elf Toy" were painted on his stomach. As soon as Dolvon had returned to his cave, he sketched the picture of the female Elf and knew that this was her. This was the one his Lord wanted.

Dolvon snapped out of his reverie and immediately went back to work. As the minutes ticked by, he was sure that Lord Melkor was getting impatient, judging by the vigorous pacing that his Lord was doing. A half-hour had passed when suddenly Melkor walked straight up to Dolvon ignoring the fact that he was now standing in the middle of the bubbling basin.

"How long is this going to take!" yelled Melkor.

"Please my Lord, have patience. It is almost finished."

"I want this to have been done yesterday!"

Dolvon pursed his lips and sighed. "Have patience my Lord. Have patience." For someone who was such a powerful being, he ceratinly is impatient, he thought to himself. And does he realize that he is not in the least a bit threatening, seeing as he cannot even touch anything? Finally adding the last ingredient, a few hairs from a Nazgul, Dolvon stepped back and wiped his brow and watched as the potion started to glow. Within the glow, an image of an Elven maiden with long brown hair and hazel eyes appeared. She was laughing as she ran through a forest apparently being chased by something or someone. But suddenly, another image appeared next to hers. It was an image of a male Elf with blonde hair and blue eyes. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he shot arrows one after another into a target. The two images slowly merged together until the faces of the two Elves lay next to another and a ring of white light encircled them. The light grew till it lit up the entire cavern and disappeared along with the images.

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Dolvon looked at Melkor. "My Lord, what just happened?"

Seething in anger, Melkor swiped his arm at the basin. But as it went harmlessly through it, it only fueled his anger. "Damnit!" he yelled.

"My Lord, what…."

"That white ring. Do you know what it meant?"

"No, I…"

"It signifies a bond!"

"A bond?"

"Yes!" yelled Melkor who began pacing furiously. "It means that that girl and boy's souls are bonded! So how the hell am I supposed get her to willing come to me and be mine, when she is bonded! And nothing short of death can break a bond!" At that Melkor suddenly stopped pacing. "Death…" he murmered. Suddenly his eyes lit up and he cried out, "Dolvon! We must kill the boy and somehow convince whatever fates control those damnable bonds that the girl is dead also, but without actually killing her."

"But my Lord…how are we to do that?" asked Dolvon. I think my Lord spent a little too much time in Limbo. For I believe that it may have altered his common sense. Surely he must know that this will more than likely backfire on us. Things like this always do.

Melkor was scanning the books lining one of the shelves, a plan forming in his mind. He indicated one to Dolvon. "There is a spell," he said. "That can send someone through time," he pointed to a page number, "and then a spell to bring them back. It is perfect. We shall kill the boy, then send the girl through time, leaving her there long enough to make the fates think she is dead, then bring her back here. And at that point we will use her to bring me back fully to the physical plane and she shall be mine and we shall rule over all of Middle-Earth."

Yes, thought Dolvon. My Lord has lost his mind. Methinks it may have been a bad idea to bring him back. Though leaving my Lord as he is should not bring any harm. Just as long as he does not develop any of his powers anyway. So it may be wise to go along with this plan until I can get everything sorted out. sigh I knew I should have stayed with the Healer training. Shaking his head slightly enough that Melkor could not notice, Dolvon proceeded to gather the ingredients for the spell. The girl was going to kill him if she ever found out who did this to her.


Lothlorien

A frustrated scream rang through the forest and echoed off the trees. In an Elven city, buried deep in the woods, a young Elf maiden stood in front of a mirror scowling as she gazed at her appearance. She was wearing a deep blue gown with silver embroidery around the edges. A sash – a slightly lighter shade than the blue of her gown – was tied around her thin waist, accenting her curves. The sleeves were long and flowing, belling out from her elbows. Her brown hair was done up in an elegant bun with small tendrils of hair framing her face. Around her neck, the maiden wore a white stone pendant with her family crest and her name in the high Elvish language and the tongue of men.

At the sound of her scream three older male Elves, two with blonde hair and one with blonde/brown hair, came running to her room. They were all dressed the same. Black boots over gray pants and a long-sleeved blue tunic under a sleeveless darker blue tunic. They all wore the same sash around their waist as the girl, only their sash was shorter, and also wore the same pendant but with their names. The eldest of the three Elves strode quickly up to the female. "What is wrong? Are you alright, seler (sister)?"

The girl growled and folded her arms across her chest, looked away, then spread her arms out for the Elven men to see. "Look at what they are making me wear!"

Her brother chuckled and smiled at his younger sister. "It is a lovely gown. Do you not like the color?"

Her arms fell to her sides. "Toron (brother), it is a dress. They are making me wear a dress!" She refolded her arms across her chest and sat heavily in a nearby chair.

One of the other males walked up next to the girl's brother. "Seler, you know very well that you cannot show up looking like you usually do."

"And why not! The Lord and Lady see me like that everyday and they do not have a problem with it!"

The third male spoke up this time. "This is a formal occasion. Representatives from the other Elven kingdoms will be there and the Lady has requested our family's attendance. You have to wear the dress."

"No! I hate dresses!" The female Elf stood and walked to one of the windows with her back facing her brothers.

The eldest brother turned to his other siblings and motioned to them. "It looks as if we will have to drag her. On the count of three, we will grab her. You two take her feet and I will take her arms." Just as they were to apprehend their sister, she held up a hand.

"Do not, even think about it. I know what you were going to do." She faced them, her face expressionless but smug. "I will make you a deal. I will go along quietly and be a good girl, IF, you guys take me with you on patrol tomorrow. Take it or leave it. But remember if you do not take me, then you will have me fighting and screaming all the way to the banquet hall."

The three brothers looked at each other and after a few minutes nodded their consent. The girl smiled in triumph and walked past them out the door of her bedroom. The Elf with the darker blonde hair looked at the others and said under his breath, "The patrol will have to be a short one. A really short one. Mother and Father would kill us if anything happened to her." The others nodded and quickly followed their sister out of the flet and down the stairs.

Soon, the four siblings were on their way to the banquet hall of their Lord and Lady. As the girl walked, she began to feel a bit light-headed. Rubbing one of her temples, the feeling went away but came back a short minute with full force. She then felt a pull in the back of her mind, like she had forgotten something. The Elf continued to walk so she wouldn't alert her brothers, all the while trying to shake off the emptiness she felt. She could not understand why it was happening. She also began to feel tired as if something was draining her energy. One of her brothers caught her as she stumbled on a small tree root. Then before she could register what happened, all her energy left her and she collapsed to the ground.

The eldest brother cried out as he watched his sister fall to the ground. "Seler!" He kneeled next to her, taking her hand in his. "Are you alright? What is happening?"

She shook her head. "I-I do not know," she replied. "I feel like something or someone is draining all my energy. I'm so tired." Her eyes began to close, but her brother shook her shoulders to keep her conscious.

"No! You must stay awake!" He looked at his other siblings. "Go! Go get help!" They nodded and ran down the path. The Elf gazed down at his sister to see her skin paling and could tell she was beginning to lose consciousness. "No, seler. You must stay awake," he whispered. As he held her, he soon could no longer feel the weight of her hand in his. He looked down to see her body fading; his eyes widened in fear.

She was so tired. She turned her head to look at her brother who was saying something, but she couldn't hear him. What was happening to her! Gazing down at her hand, she found herself fading. Fading to where, she did not know. Looking again at her brother, she gave him a reassuring smile. "Do not worry, toron. I will find a way home. I love you all." With that she closed her eyes and lost consciousness.

Her brother cried out in grief as he watched his little sister fade away to nothing. She was gone. He pounded his fist into the ground, tears streaming down his face. "NO! No," he whispered. The blonde haired Elf looked to the sky. "Find your way home, little seler. Find your way home."


Mirkwood Forest

A young blonde, blue-eyed Elf sat perched in a tree as he quietly watched his target. Three orcs scanned the wooded area around them, obviously searching for him. They had already attempted to take his head off while he was foraging for some berries to satiate the noises his stomach had been making at him for the last several hours.

Five quick minutes later, three very dead orcs lay on the ground. The Elf jumped down from the tree and trotted away quickly, not wanting to be there when the spiders found the bodies. The idea of facing the darkness of the forest on his own made him terribly nervous, espeically in these dark times. But what made him even more nervous, was the emptiness that had begun growing in him a days ago, before the orcs came. It was like a piece of him was missing, and he did not like it.


A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this new prologue. I personally like it much better than the first one. But if there is something that seems off about it, just let me know and I'll see what can be done to fix it. Read and review please!

Raydias