Prologue
In the Gray Havens, across the sea from middle earth, lightening split the sky and thunder shook the earth. Galadriel pulled her light gray cloak around her shoulders a shuddered. A slight smile could be seen on her tightly pursed lips as her favorite son, Elrond walked briskly into her chamber. The sight of his grim face quickly banished all traces of the smile from Galariel's face.
"Mother, its begun."
She knew it was coming all along, but when the news finally came, she wasn't prepared for the rush of emotions, and the shock of the news.
The last battle, the final destruction of middle earth had finally begun, and all would be lost unless the elves left Valinor and helped the last free people of middle earth to destroy Maldrigo, the last enemy.
"I almost pity the men; but its not if they where meant to live forever like us, they are only mortal." (Elrond)
"Well how did you earn immortality my son? You did nothing special that gave you everlasting life. Besides it sometimes feels more like a curse than a blessing sometimes. They need our help..and they deserve it as well."
"You know the price, what It would do to us, and our race."
"Aye that I do, but do you know what would happen if we didn't go to help?"
"They would die, as they would have eventually, so why does what we do even matter?"
"You've changed since we came over the Sea Elrond", said Galadreil as she slowly overlooked her son, who had once been the wisest elf in Imladris. "If you can live for all eternity with the guilt of knowing that you didn't go to help when our help was needed most.."
"THEY WOULD DIE ANYWAY! YOU KNOW WHAT IS AT STAKE!"
"Why do you want to live forever? What as immortality given you? A broken heart forever sore with the loss of your daughter? Do you want to live with grief and loss forever? Do you want to see the world decay around you and know that you will never decay, that you will be there even when the ocean washes away the land, and everything is in darkness? Is that what you want?!"
"I may not want to live forever, but why should I want to end my life now? Why does middle earth need freedom, they had it once before, and just lost it again. They can't hold on to it-THEY DON'T DESERVE IT"
"Then why did you fight for freedom against Sauron twice before? Was it because you wanted Middle Earth to be free? Or was it because you thought they were undeserving of freedom?"
"I fought for the freedom of my children!"
"Then fight for your great grand children..Arwen's children and grandchildren...Should they have to live in a world of darkness, as slaves to a dark lord on a dark throne?"
"You're right, I do have to hope that those children can survive and live their lives, even if mine must be lost. I had forgotten that Arwen had children, so grieved was I of her death. I'll call up my warriors, and send those who are willing back across the sea, to fight."
"Why must you sound so hopeless my son?"
"Because I have no hope of ever seeing my child ever again."
"Perhaps you shall see her again someday.If you hurry she may still be there."
"No she will not-Don't make me long for her and grieve for her like I did at first. I can't live for her anymore; I can't spend my life wishing for someone who will never come back no matter how much I wish for her."
"I'm sorry dear boy."
"I must go and call the elves to battle."
"Thank you son."
Galadriel turned away from her son to look out from her window into the wavy, white capped sea.
Then Elrond left the room, and true to his words, he called up his soldiers from their post in the armory under the white palace. He called for an emergency meeting to be held early then next morning. He was quite decided that whomever was willing would be sent across the sea to fight.
In a room far above the garden, his beautiful mother watched him order the solders around. She smiled at the leader son had become, and quietly reminisced about when he was born nearly 10 millennia ago. He was her first son, and her last. She smiled to herself, and then turned her attention to the dark chaotic sea to her left.
She didn't notice the dark figure who slowly entered the room and made its way to stand behind her. She didn't notice the figure pull a long steel blade wreathed in a silver fire out from the fold's of it's black cloak. She didn't notice the blade across her slim throat until it was too late. Before she could do anything the intruder had slit her throat and cruelly laughed as she struggled to stand upright, and eventually when she fell to the ground. He watched the life drain out of her steadily like the pool of blood that settled around her head turning the once beautiful gold locks to a dark blood red. After a few minutes the figure turned and left as quietly as it had come-it's task was done. He had done as his master had ordered.
Galadriel, the lady of light was dead.
In the Gray Havens, across the sea from middle earth, lightening split the sky and thunder shook the earth. Galadriel pulled her light gray cloak around her shoulders a shuddered. A slight smile could be seen on her tightly pursed lips as her favorite son, Elrond walked briskly into her chamber. The sight of his grim face quickly banished all traces of the smile from Galariel's face.
"Mother, its begun."
She knew it was coming all along, but when the news finally came, she wasn't prepared for the rush of emotions, and the shock of the news.
The last battle, the final destruction of middle earth had finally begun, and all would be lost unless the elves left Valinor and helped the last free people of middle earth to destroy Maldrigo, the last enemy.
"I almost pity the men; but its not if they where meant to live forever like us, they are only mortal." (Elrond)
"Well how did you earn immortality my son? You did nothing special that gave you everlasting life. Besides it sometimes feels more like a curse than a blessing sometimes. They need our help..and they deserve it as well."
"You know the price, what It would do to us, and our race."
"Aye that I do, but do you know what would happen if we didn't go to help?"
"They would die, as they would have eventually, so why does what we do even matter?"
"You've changed since we came over the Sea Elrond", said Galadreil as she slowly overlooked her son, who had once been the wisest elf in Imladris. "If you can live for all eternity with the guilt of knowing that you didn't go to help when our help was needed most.."
"THEY WOULD DIE ANYWAY! YOU KNOW WHAT IS AT STAKE!"
"Why do you want to live forever? What as immortality given you? A broken heart forever sore with the loss of your daughter? Do you want to live with grief and loss forever? Do you want to see the world decay around you and know that you will never decay, that you will be there even when the ocean washes away the land, and everything is in darkness? Is that what you want?!"
"I may not want to live forever, but why should I want to end my life now? Why does middle earth need freedom, they had it once before, and just lost it again. They can't hold on to it-THEY DON'T DESERVE IT"
"Then why did you fight for freedom against Sauron twice before? Was it because you wanted Middle Earth to be free? Or was it because you thought they were undeserving of freedom?"
"I fought for the freedom of my children!"
"Then fight for your great grand children..Arwen's children and grandchildren...Should they have to live in a world of darkness, as slaves to a dark lord on a dark throne?"
"You're right, I do have to hope that those children can survive and live their lives, even if mine must be lost. I had forgotten that Arwen had children, so grieved was I of her death. I'll call up my warriors, and send those who are willing back across the sea, to fight."
"Why must you sound so hopeless my son?"
"Because I have no hope of ever seeing my child ever again."
"Perhaps you shall see her again someday.If you hurry she may still be there."
"No she will not-Don't make me long for her and grieve for her like I did at first. I can't live for her anymore; I can't spend my life wishing for someone who will never come back no matter how much I wish for her."
"I'm sorry dear boy."
"I must go and call the elves to battle."
"Thank you son."
Galadriel turned away from her son to look out from her window into the wavy, white capped sea.
Then Elrond left the room, and true to his words, he called up his soldiers from their post in the armory under the white palace. He called for an emergency meeting to be held early then next morning. He was quite decided that whomever was willing would be sent across the sea to fight.
In a room far above the garden, his beautiful mother watched him order the solders around. She smiled at the leader son had become, and quietly reminisced about when he was born nearly 10 millennia ago. He was her first son, and her last. She smiled to herself, and then turned her attention to the dark chaotic sea to her left.
She didn't notice the dark figure who slowly entered the room and made its way to stand behind her. She didn't notice the figure pull a long steel blade wreathed in a silver fire out from the fold's of it's black cloak. She didn't notice the blade across her slim throat until it was too late. Before she could do anything the intruder had slit her throat and cruelly laughed as she struggled to stand upright, and eventually when she fell to the ground. He watched the life drain out of her steadily like the pool of blood that settled around her head turning the once beautiful gold locks to a dark blood red. After a few minutes the figure turned and left as quietly as it had come-it's task was done. He had done as his master had ordered.
Galadriel, the lady of light was dead.