Pain echoed throughout every inch of Legolas's body. He couldn't find the source, everything around him was dark and silent, but he felt the agony intensely. He felt like something had a hold on him, some dark being with its claws speared into his soul. It was almost as if something had attached itself to him.

His last memory was of the spider bite, and he wondered if he was dead. Was this what death felt like? Was endless pain all that was left? No, it couldn't be.

He strained to open his eyes, but they felt glued shut. He tried to move and found that his body was like stone, unable to even twitch a finger. He was trapped in his own mind.

Time passed at a crawl. At one point, he felt his father's calming presence at his side, which gave him relief. If his father was near he couldn't be dead, couldn't he? Or was he simply being comforted by the Valar in his eternal torment? The question worried him and he could not let it stray far from the front of his mind.

Another piercing bolt of pain shot through him and he tried to scream but no sound came out. His eyes opened slightly, and he could see figures in white above him. The Valar? No, healers. He recognized one of their voices.

He could feel his body thrashing around, unlocked from its paralyzed state, but he had no control over it. Pain continuously coursed through his whole body, right down to his toes, and he wondered if it would never stop.

Eventually, his eyes were closed again and his body still. Even more time passed, and he felt the presence of his father fade. He could feel hot tears on his cheeks as Thranduil's warm aura left him. It had been his only comfort in this hell.

After a long time, he sensed the world around him changing. The pain lessened and a calmness fell over him. He was much more comfortable.

Then there was a light, the first light to penetrate this everlasting darkness inside his mind, and a soothing voice that he could almost recognize.

"Legolas. Legolas, where are you?"

And then another voice, this one strong and golden, "Legolas!"

He tried to call out, but found he still had no control over himself. The voices drew closer, then fade past him. He attempted reaching out with his mind, but he found that he couldn't reach the people looking for him. It was as if there was a whole vast ocean between them even though they had only just passed him.

He almost cried in frustration. It had been ages and ages since he had been able to control his own body, and he still didn't know what had happened to him or even if he was still alive. He wanted to scream and cry and beat his hands against a wall all at once, and it was killing him.

Then the light came back, accompanied by the voices.

"Legolas! There you are!"

He felt a warm hand grasp his as the being knelt beside him, the other staying standing. He finally recognized the voice and managed to croak out his first words in a long long time, "Lord Elrond?"

"Yes, penneth, I'm here." The hand caressed his own and he could hear the worry in the Lord's voice.

"What's wrong?" The other elf, presumably Glorfindel, asked.

Elrond sighed, "I don't know. It's almost as if-"

Suddenly there was a rush of air and a roaring that pierced their ears. The trio flinched and Elrond and Glorfindel turned to face the noise.

"What was that?" Glorfindel murmured, crouching next to Elrond.

"I don't know. But we best get out of here as quick as possible. It seems as though our prince is not the only one inhabiting his mind."