Author's Note: I am only posting this once because I don't feel like putting it on every chapter, but I do not take any credit for J.R. 's work/characters. I do however take credit for my own characters/places/things and anyone attempting to steal my ideas will be dealt with accordingly. My story is my own and was created to be fun for me and my readers. In saying that, my story is more closely following the lines of the books and not the movies. Although I do have some movie moments and characters written in, but it is only to correlate with my story and make it interesting. I hope everyone enjoys and has fun with the story, comment your favorite parts, offer constructive criticism. I understand everyone has their own personal view of Tolkien's works and how they interpret it, this story is simply my own. This is why it's called fanfiction. Thank you EverythingIsKawaii.

—

Chapter 1 Thunder

Still around the corner there may wait

A new road or a secret gate;

An though I oft have passed them by

A day will come at last when I

Shall take the hidden paths that run

West of the Moon and East of the Sun

I have often wondered why people dream. The simple state of the mind where we rest our bodies can turn into wild altered realities of unlimited imagination. More than often these dreams we have are memories throughout our day, our deepest desires or our darkest fears. If one is more talented lucid dreaming can be ensued and one can control their dreams and bend it to their favor. But what if there was something more than just dreaming? What if it was another world entirely?

"We can't keep meeting like this." I breathed out in a whisper to my cup of hot coffee, its divine aroma tickled my nose. "I love you too much to have to make you on unpleasant circumstances."

I had woken up again to another sleepless night. My mind had been plagued as of late due to a reoccurring nightmare. However, I could not think of anything that would make it keep spurring on for months. All the same dream, an endless run through an a dark forest covered in blood from head to foot while being hunted down like an animal by an unknown entity. The panting, the sweat, the adrenaline. It had grown extremely tiring of late constantly waking up in the early morning hours. At least this time I had made to 5 am.

Today was the first day of Spring Break and as was tradition with my friends, we would be going on a camping trip. Five days of living outdoors, setting s'mores on fire, swimming in the icy ocean waters and exploring all of Olympic National Forest's hiking trails. At least for my friends.

Sipping the last of my coffee, I washed up my cup in the sink and carefully made my way up the stairs. I didn't want to wake him up. His wife was a nurse at the hospital and her shift didn't start till 6, but she always woke up extra early to try and doll herself up. I wasn't exactly sure if it was for herself or to get the attention of her husband she rarely saw. As I reached the top of the stairs I could see the tiniest peek of her in the bathroom trying to put on an extra layer of mascara, her mouth was gapped open like a fish as she watched herself in the mirror. She shoved the tiny wand back into the tube and gave her blonde hair one more fluff before she came out. Her eyes spotted me and she let out a sigh of pity.

"Again?" she asked, she didn't even jump anymore at my early morning rises.

I nodded

"Are you sure you'll be able to do this trip?"

"Yea." I shrugged "It'll be good to get out for awhile."

A small smile made its way to her face.

"Just try to have fun, ok? I worry about you and those…dreams." She rubbed my arms

"I will. Thanks Susan."

She adjusted her purse on her shoulder and made her way down the stairs.

"Oh, I put in an extra Keurig cup for you." I added in, leaning over the side of the railing.

"Thank you Amara. I must say despite you having these episodes at least you never forget to make me coffee before work." Her self centered response instantly put a sour taste in my mouth as I decided to make my exit. Susan was a nice lady but her head was more focused around her work than thinking of others. I couldn't wait to leave.

I quietly made my way to my room and I shut the door as softly as I could, sliding the chain on it. For a while I was safe. At least till my friends came and got me. Looking around my room it more or less resembled a disaster area than a living place. I had clothes strung about in every which direction where I had been packing. My brown leather backpack looked like a overblown beach ball sitting on my bed with all the stuff packed into it. Anymore and I was afraid the seams would bust. I couldn't help it I was indecisive. I knew this would be my last day here in this hell hole of a home, but where I was going I had no idea. I was going to be a traveler without a destination.

I wondered over to my window and slid up the frame and was met with a salty aired kiss. No matter how many times I had seen the ocean it always mesmerized me in a way I could not describe. Maybe it was the way it moved, or the smell, or the way the light played upon the water making shimmer like diamonds. No, it was its' power. The ocean was big and strong, able to go wherever it wanted, when it wanted. It had the power to sink ships and mow down the earth with its' force, yet it was a giver of life, providing a home to all sorts of creatures. I stared in awe and wonder at it all and then slowly the first light of the morning started to appear. In my own ritual, I took off the camisole I was wearing along with my pajama shorts and underwear, and I was completely bare before Heaven and Earth. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply as I was baptized in sunlight and the salt of the sea; feeling the warm rays caress my body like a long lost lover.

"Where am I going? Where will I go?" my thoughts filled me with anxiety.

And like an answer from above a cold wind blew in, violently making me aware how naked I was. My eyes opened and I hurried to shut the window.

"Maybe this is a bad omen…just like Ashley said."

A reflection of a girl in the window startled me. Her dark hair came to her collarbones, laying over them like a blanket. Sharp green wide eyes had been hit by the sun's rays that haloed their center, over them arched full brows. You could see lines everywhere, from the frames of her body to the outlines of her inner structure. Then I realized it was me. Only I didn't recognize me. I had lost more weight. This time not intentionally. This girl looked like a sleep deprived sorry sap.

I drew away from the window and decided to get dressed. Since the nippy experience from the window I thought it best to put on one of my more insulated skinny jeans, thick socks and a thick hooded sweater. Over my sweater I put on my corduroy brown jacket with the sherpa fleece at the collar, zipping it up for more padded warmth. Last but not least were my duck boots.

A light caught my eye off to the side towards my dresser where laid my most prized possession. It was a simple colorless jewel no bigger than an grape. It was adorned with a rose gold chain that when worn it would hang down nearly to the center of my sternum, the stone itself hung down like a tear drop. It was the only thing that I had of them, my parents. That and a lone scrap piece of paper with my name scribbled down, water stained from memories of long ago. I draped the necklace over my head and tucked the jewel down inside my hoodie. I looked once more at my reflection in the mirror still not recognizing the girl in the glass, the cracked glass.

"Well that's new."

I heard a loud honk from outside. The glass didn't matter now, my friends were here, my escape had came.

"Pretty sure I have everything"

I slung on my backpack and quietly made my way down the carpeted stairs careful to not make a sound.

"Running off so soon?" I halted my motions as I reached the bottom and saw my so called "father" in the kitchen off to the side. I glanced quickly out the window of the front door and back to him. He was a middle aged, narcissistic, alcoholic, sheriff. The irony of this set up was that I had met Sheriff McCullough before becoming his foster child when he had caught me on the numerous occasions where I had ran away from my other foster homes. Of course he just so happen to come along to become my next foster family or in my case my own personal prison. I had often heard he liked working on juvenile cases on the force, especially young girls for a reason. And who would question a man of the law? Recently he had been out of touch, loosing interest in his wife and seemed to be giving me a lot of long eyed looks lately. He was sitting in his uniform, drinking coffee at the table, his dark hair was slicked back from either hair gel or hair grease from not showering. He had a bushy 1970's mustache which he probably thought gave him a macho man look but it just added to his creepiness.

"Um yea. We were going to head out early. Remember?" I was praying I could get out quick and not get stalled by him.

He swirled and sipped up the last of his coffee. His cup clinked on the table as he set it down to come over to me, slowly striating beefing himself up to make himself look more intimating. I had seen him do it many a time to punk teenagers and to me.

"Quinault area? Five days?" he questioned putting on his bad cop mask

"Yes." I said flatly

His eyebrows raised up and beady dark eyes peered down at me clearly waiting for another response

"Sir."

He nodded his head

"No funny stuff now. I have friends all in that area that would love to bring you all back home. You...maybe that blow head blonde cheerleader." he said as he glanced at my friends.

I internally vomited in my mind. How on earth did this man work for law enforcement and still have a job? He looked back at me and his hand came up to caress my face and instinctively I jerked back out of his reach. He sneered and drew his arm back.

"Well have a nice time while it lasts. Once you get home. Things my be different around here. Then you may really have something to wake up about in the morning and it might be a real nightmare then." he unlatched the front door and opened it. I put on a fake smile of my own.

"Gee I can't wait." I left quickly slipping out the door and made it to Chris's van and climbed in, shutting the slide door, never looking back at him.

"You kids have fun. Don't get into any trouble." I heard him call from the door like the oh so concerned parent that he was.

"Fuckin' bastard." Nick's thick Irish accent drawled out.

"That man literally makes my skin crawl. How do you live with him?" Jocelyn asked giving one last stink eye to my foster dad before we drove off.

"You don't it's a prison." my voice spat out.

"Soon it won't be." Ashley grabbed my hand reassuringly. I smiled and sat back in my seat and tried to enjoy the scenery out the window as we drove off.

I have lived in Cedar Coast Washington all of my life and living on the coast had its perks. You could see the ocean up and down for miles, it's dark waters crashing like never-ending explosions against the jagged towering rocks. Its sandy beaches instantly joined up with the mossy forest line that traveled inland creating the mountain scape further north. It's elusive beauty could make anyone go wanderlust. Sunshine was rare in our state since it mostly rains but today it looked like it would grace us with its presence

"Oi Alice in wonderland. How far up is yer head in the caterpillars arse?" Nick teased at me. I gave a playful glare at him as he stuck out a joint in his hand for me.

"Seriously?"

"Hey, its not like he can get another piss test out of ya."

Usually I didn't engage, well, more like couldn't engage in substance activities. But for once I felt carefree, like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I gave him a smirk and leaned into him, taking the joint from his hand.

"You know I believe you are quite right."

—-

I laid back on the frosty earth and looked up at the starry night sky, picking out constellations here and there. The serene atmosphere left me in a sense of awestruck wonder and beauty. Gases of galaxies and solar systems with worlds of their own made you wonder if there was an unknown land somewhere out there with people looking at us and had the same opinion of our little world. My newfound high was starting to wear off by the days end. An exhilarating experience that strangely left me starving. I brought my hand up and waved to the sky.

"Hello fellow humanoids...do you see me?"

"Who are you waving to?" Ashley's dark figure shadowed over my face from above

I smiled. It did look rather ridiculous

"Oh the aliens.." I threw my hand and rested it behind my head

She rolled her eyes and sat down beside me, her face turning from amusement to emotionless in a minute. The sudden change in her demeanor concerned me and I decided to switch to Japanese, the language of her family, so prying ears couldn't hear.

(What?)

(I'm going to miss you) Her pale skin glowed in the moonlight, but shiny lines ran down her cheeks as she tried to brush them away.

This peaked my curiosity.

(Did you have another vision?)

(Yes...it will happen tonight...but then you will disappear again..you must go before the storm comes)

(Storm?... But its supposed to be clear all week)

She shook her head.

(No you don't understand...I confirmed it with Granny...you disappear not from this future vision...but ours as well..something is going to happen to you and I'm scared)

I sat up suddenly at this new information. Ashley and her grandmother were known to share a talent of seeing into the future. I didn't understand the ways of how they saw the future but they were never wrong. However, that's not what drew me to them, it was when I was first taken into their care years ago and Granny had read my fortune and said I had no future. I was the first person she had ever encountered that had such a reading and it slightly disturbed her. It was only till recently she started seeing my future...the dark woods..a long journey...blood..and happiness. That was all she said one day out of the blue, but now was I to meet my impending death into eternal life..or something else?

"Nothing will happen," my voice held determination as I grasped her hand tightly "I promise." Her dark brown eyes glistened with tears threatening to spill but she took a deep breath and pushed them back nodding her head in understanding.

Then a low rumble sounded in the sky. Like I said they are never wrong.

"You must go...take your stuff and go..hurry!" anticipation filled her voice, she got up and grabbed my backpack and shoved it into my unsuspecting arms.

I stood up hesitantly looking around the clearing.

"Which way? It could be any direction?" the rumble started to grow louder. She grabbed and twirled me around and shoved me forward.

"Go! Just go Amara!" her voice strained in earnest

Looking back at her at a final glimpse of her a change came over her face.

"Ashley?"

Her body seized up and her eyes turned a blinding shade of white...a vision.

"Beware the golden haired man despite the demon he slew, evil is his past. House of sun and of leaves..."

"What?" I strained to hear here against the oncoming storm "Ashley what do you see?"

"A white staffed man."

Her eyes refocused and gained back their color, her body dropped to the ground though she caught herself with her hands. I started to come to her when she yelled out for Nick. Suddenly I was hit with a hard body and arms circled around me. All I could was stare at Ashley in horror. Not like this.

"Ashley no!"

"Sorry pixie stick." came Nick's solemn words and in a flash we were gone and in the deeper part of the woods in an instant.

Only I was alone. I knew what he had done, but it hurt like a bitch. I squeezed my eyes hard trying not to cry. She knew I wouldn't have the strength to leave them, knowing they were my only family, so she did it for me. Now only the future was in front of me and it was time to go.

—

I bolted off into the woods and had been running, never looking back. The onslaught of torrential downpour was becoming heavier by the minute and I was soaked, frozen to the bone. Scattered streaks of lightening lit the sky in bright flashes, crackling and hissing in their dance. My path was only lit briefly at times when the lightening flashed other than that I was running blind.

How in the hell can this be their vision?!

I kept my pace pressing and moving forward even though my lungs burned for air. I was going to need to find shelter soon before I caught a cold or hypothermia if I wanted to make this out alive. Stopping briefly I searched the dark woods for some brush, an overhang, even a hole in a tree at this point; I could see nothing till my eyes saw the out line of a small cave about 30ft away. I made a quick run for it, but all of a sudden it seemed like time had stopped. I could see the rain moving ever so slowly, each and every drop hovered in the air. My body felt out of place too with my movements becoming weighed down and hard to move. The lightening...it was so beautiful spidering through the sky like veins.

Have you ever got that feeling when you turn on a light switch and the electricity comes back and bites you and makes your hair stand on end well this is what it felt like only a thousand times worse. A crash of lightening slammed with a force of a bomb in front of me, sending shocks through my body till I almost believed I was on fire and shook with such a blast that it sent me flying back. The blinding light erased my senses that I didn't feel myself hitting the ground under a tree. With the wind blown out of my lungs I gasped for air like a drowning man. The cool rain hit my face with water droplets from the canopy of the tree, but even the water burned like acid. My body finally calmed from the shock and slowly my mind strayed from consciousness and left me in a dark slumber.

They say the first sense that comes to you is hearing when you are unconscious and I was relieved to hear for once, not a raging mad storm, but tranquil winds blowing softly in a canopy sea of trees. The rustle of leaves from above was gentle and comforting. I slowly opened my eyes and instantly regretted it. I had, had hangovers before, but this was beyond any simple hangover. Bright light pierced my eyes into my skull like knives and I had double vision...no triple...quadruple? I pressed my hands into my sockets and rubbed them frivolously to see straight. When I sat up that was mistake number two. Just like a hangover I lost all the contents of my stomach on the ground to the side of me. My head was pounding and I could see tiny black dots in my vision as they pulsed with the sound of my heartbeat.

"Fuck..I'm never drinking again...ever...for a few weeks at least." I thought to myself bitterly.

I pushed myself up from the ground with effort and brushed away leaves and debris from my clothes. I was surprised not find one burned spot on my body. As I looked at my surroundings I could find no trace of a lightening bolt scorched ground or even a sign I was thrown back by the blast. Surely I didn't dream this up.

Crack.

"And there went my back. Definitely didn't dream this up."

My mouth felt dry and sticky and I knew I was going to need to find water soon. I had a water bottle, but I knew it was empty.

"Guess I better get trekking"

I hobbled along through the brush my vision betraying me now and again to the level of the landscape. Despite my sudden frame of state the scenery was beautiful. Large trees that towered like skyscrapers flooded the forest and every verity of plant life was everywhere. The sun shown through the green ceiling of tree leaves sparkling like emerald gems and it was warm and inviting. Warm. Warm. It was warm? I stopped a moment in my tracks. It's nearly April it shouldn't be warm. I felt for my phone in my jeans pocket and turned it on. Miraculously it had survived as it came to life...and said no signal.

"What do you mean no signal?! I full coverage you stupid piece of fuck!"

Actually it was no signal, no 4G, no nothing.

"So I'm lost. Ok no problem I'll turn on my GPS signal and it'll find me."

It didn't. Actually my GPS couldn't even find my location all it showed was a world map. Shutting it off to save the battery since it was pointless keeping it on, I surveyed my surroundings again. Where exactly was I? I couldn't be no more than 10 miles from camp yet I heard no noise from other people nor the rush of nearby cars or see any visible trails. I was very much indeed lost.

"Amara don't freak out. Use your brain. You're in the south part of the park. North on a tree is where the moss grows. So go opposite and you'll find the end the park and possibly a trail and a park ranger. No big deal."

And that's exactly what I was going to do, but a feeling of being watched came over me. The forest was oddly quiet and unnerving. Adrenaline started to course through me and I was ready to spring and run at the littlest of movement. A faint call of a morning dove echoed through the forest yet no other birds or wildlife seemed to be active. The only thing active in that moment was the sharp pain in my left shoulder where an arrow made it's presence known through my back and protruded through on the other side making blood pour down the front of my jacket and shirt.

"The fuck?!" I gritted my teeth in pain as my hand hesitantly touched the tip. I whipped my head and looked behind me to hear three different movements through the brush, but couldn't see anyone. I had to move and move now! I fled the other way, putting one foot in front of the other, pumping air into my lungs to keep going. My pursuers were hot on my trail and gaining quickly. Pushing myself on I moved quicker with the previous adrenaline coursing through my veins, my movements became easier and I started to out gain them.

"At least track practice paid off."

Before I knew it I heard the sound of a rushing stream.

If I could get there I could jump in and wash down stream and go with the current. No way in hell was I going to be some sick creep's prey.

Crashing down I made my destination and burst through the tree line only to be disappointed. It was shallow creek. I would have to move on and get to the other side if I wanted to further my escape. Carefully I hobbled through the rushing waters, splashing my way as quickly as I could.

"Daro!" a deep masculine voiced yelled from behind before I could make it all the way across, leaving my paralyzed in calf deep cold water.

I turned slowly and saw the strangest looking man I had ever seen. He was dressed in almost a medieval type of attire in darkest of green or was it black. From the near knee length coat, the leggings, the boots, even a cloak to match, he looked every bit the part. The only thing that contrasted badly was his long blonde hair, pale skin, and ears peeking out from the sides..with tips. However, his long white bow and quiver of arrows looked very authentic. He peered at me with a hard gaze with his dark eyes and sharp features, but as he stood there his face smoothed out, his brows un-furrowed and eyes grew wide. He carefully put down his armed weapon that was pointed at me and we held our gazes for what seemed like an eternity. Even though he was dressed so strangely he was rather handsome in old time roguish way. Though pale skin and blonde he had dark thick brows featured his face well along with a broad nose and thin lips. His hair was pulled back by braids on the sides and in the back.

"Who are you?"

His deep voice split the silence between us. It was soft and gentle, but I had no idea what he was saying.

"Who knows Amara it could be sweet words to kill you with...or rape you." My morbid subconscious told me.

My head started pounding again and my double vision was getting worse making it hard to focus on him.

"Do you speak elvish milady?"

His entrancing voice spoke again and he took a step further and I took a step back.

"Please let me help you.."

Though kind and gentle I stayed cautious. More movement came from the brush behind him. Out charging through, were two more men that was dressed the same as he was, just as heavily armed, but the only difference was that they had dark brown hair.

"Fuck this he has a posse!"

I made the decision right then and there that I was beyond outnumbered and who was to say they would rape me and kill me. Turning back to my previous course I made the rest of the way through the stream and onto dry land again. My body seemed to be shifting back into a drunken state again as I was starting to feel sleepy and running in jagged directions. I could hear the men's distorted voices from behind me and they seemed to be yelling fervently at one another. I made my body push harder, running faster till I came to and obstacle. I fallen tree came to view in my path, but looked jumpable. I paced myself just like I had done when I used to run track and sized up my distance. In one fell jump I folded my body forward, one leg in front and one behind, surprisingly making it over the fallen dead tree. However, the only thing I didn't prepare for was the landing.

As I made it to the other side there was an entanglement of roots and my foot went crashing through it lodging itself and twisting it till I fell face first into the earth. My ankle screamed in pain and the arrow that had only made a small appearance coming through the anterior part of my shoulder had somehow snapped off the arrow head. Out of pain and frustration I managed to grab the back part of the arrow and pull it out. I knew this wasn't entirely the smartest thing to do as my vision began to blur and my body weakened due to blood loss. In one last failed attempt I tried to free my ankle, but it was no use it was lodged too tightly in the tree roots. My breathing started to slow and my vision swam until I finally succumbed to unconsciousness.