"It's as though the wood is dead… yet not allowed to fully die." She mumbled to herself as her wings carried her in the air, dodging silent trees and darkening foliage as she made it further into the forest, to the source of magic- life- she could feel steadily starting to grow.
When she had first come into the wood, she could feel nothing but a dull thump of what used to be thriving life. Not a chirp of a bird flying overhead, nor the clawing of a badger underground could be heard as she delved further in, her fear of what lie in this shadow of glory almost spooking her back to her safe, warm, tulip. For such a large forest to be so lifeless… it was so wrong.
She just hoped nothing unfortunate had befallen her brown friend.
Resting for a moment to think she landed herself on a large mushroom, which only seemed to thrive with the ever growing dank decay that swept up around her. It was the only sign of actual life she had seen since coming to the area, and the small bit of knowledge sent a shiver up her spine.
"This cannot travel further. All will be lost."
A noise, the softest, yet still there, a crackle of disintegrating flora falling apart under…something. She turn her head, golden curls whipping around, batting her eyes as she tried to peer into the shadows, only to find a bundle of white orbs staring back at her.
With a whoosh she was off, wings flailing about carrying her far away from whatever evil lurked around. She could hear the pursuit, crunching shrubbery the only sound to be heard all around her. Not watching where she was going (though hardly able to see a thing) she felt her wings go stiff and her body jerk back, the world around her shaking like a spring. Tried as she might, flailing her body only seemed to greet her appendages with the same frozen state. It wasn't until she was fully immobile that she noticed what she was caught up in.
Spider web.
A huge web; glistening with dark magic and glossy, sticky silk so large that it took up the entire space between two fully grown maples lay before her, making her immobile and an easy treat for whatever creature created it. She had been so caught up in the amazement of the web she had almost forgot her pursuer. Glancing to her side, noticing once again the lack of sound, she came face to face with the bundle she peered at through the trees.
A giant spider stood before her, eyes bigger than her form, with a body three times the size of any elf. It peered at her, seeming to poke fun at her capture. She sneered at the creature, determined not to show an ounce of fear to the beast. Spiders did always preferred their prey frightened- no matter the size, it just tasted better.
Unfortunately for this beast petrified Faery was not on the menu.
The beast crept forward, its massive head angling this way and that, looking her, taking her in. The small body, no bigger than a moth would not even register on the giants taste buds, unfortunately spiders were a greedy breed.
The closer it came, the sooner she noticed its two front feet weaving a light sheen of web around her feet. The sticky fluid clung to her skin, clumping on itself as it build up. The cocoon wound up her body, around her arms and up her chest, around her neck and finally, it began weaving around her face.
She was about to scream when a burst of light shot out from the side of the creature, rocking it back away from her and into the large decaying trunk of a tree. The spider screeched lopping its giant body around like a air-breathing fish before it righted itself and ran off, the crunching of debris getting quieter the farther it got. As the light began to diminish Azruphel opened her eyes, blinking rapidly to clear her vision.
"My dearest Azruphel, you do seem to get yourself into the stickiest of situations, don't you?" a familiar voice said as a large hand came down and scooped her small body up with ease, freeing her from the messy bunch of spider silk.
"Leave it to a wizard to come just in the knick of time." She replied as she brushed off the last sticky essence away and looked up into the old wizards young eyes. Radagast smiled- a cheeky sort of smile that was only allowed to the aged wizards old friends.
"I dare say, living up to at least one standard as a wizard is probably the least I could do. Considering." With a thoughtful look up into the black nothingness of the sky for a moment, his brown came back to her tiny form. "What brings you to such a place, Azruphel?"
She waited a moment, tracing the deep grooves in the wizards hand with her foot before she gave her answer. "I came to learn about this darkness. It is the most unnatural thing I have ever seen. It worries me. If the elves cannot best it, how will we, when it inevitably comes knocking at our door. I cannot even best the giant spider's web. We would all be lost if they made their traps in the Glade."
Radagast huffed, beginning to move, keeping the faery secure and in the palm of his hand while his other held his staff.
"This is no natural darkness. It is a dark, evil magic."
"It spreads quickly, what are we to do?"
"That, I am not sure of. I was on the way to find Gandalf when I sensed your magic in the forest. You do have a way of bringing the sun with you."
Azruphel smiled. "Sad that it doesn't aid me when I need to see."
"You are a gift for others, my dear. Now, why don't you come along. We must find my cousin, he will know more of what to do than I do at the moment. Lets get to the rabbits." Not being able to take the unnatural quiet of the forest, Azruphel decided to dive into more conversation. If for nothing else to let the spiders know that she was still indeed with the wizard.
"Radagast, how do you suppose anyone to fight off the magic? The elves have seemingly given up, and they are all but part of the trees themselves!" Radagast clucked his tongue as they reached the sleigh. Climbing on he placed her on the handle, where she politely sat down at stared at him.
"Yes yes, I know. But, you forget my dear- elves are not wizards!"
"And wizards are not vain." She said, throwing her friend a teasing smile before they lurched forward, the rabbits taking off in a flurry, off to the find the Grey Wizard.
I think it's safe to say that the company will be in the next one. I know this one was long, and had nothing to do with Erebor at all yet. But it's all for the sake of the background. Tell me what you think. I was surprised to get the couple of follows that I did already! Truly, you all make me smile! I hope you're still interested after this chapter!
